Forums

[b]Bottom-line[/b]: Should I tell my prospective mentor that our common coach suggested I ask him to be my mentor?

My coach is widely used across my company for coaching, management training, etc. We are coming to the end of our coaching sessions. I stated that I will really miss her advice and mentoring. I said I was thinking about asking someone to be my mentor. (My previous mentor had left the area.) She said my suggestions were okay. But then she suggested a mentor that blew me away literally. He's obviously really going places in our company and probably the parent company too. He is many layers above me. She said she thought I have a lot of potential and he's a person who could help me achieve it. She also thought that I have some strengths where he is weaker and I could help him as well.

As I think about it, I'm getting more interested in it. I'm pretty intimidated by the thought of approaching him! But re-listening to the MT pod-casts gave me more courage on the approach - hey he can only say no. The podcast really helped me to think about exactly what I want to ask him for - monthly commitment time, length of the commitment, etc.

I wouldn't go into all of this in the request. What I'm still not sure about is whether it adds weight or detracts from my approach to say that she suggested him as my mentor. I'd like him to be interested whether or not she proposed it. But he's an EVP and I'm a first line manager. Maybe he gets lots of requests and it would make a difference. We've met before a few times. I also ask questions at company meetings. I do know 2/3rds of the other executives and they know me. But I'm not positive he knows who I am.

HMac's picture

Yes.

You were concluding the coaching program with the coach (who I'm guessing he knows, at least a little). You expressed your desire to continue your development with the help of a new mentor. Discusing this with the coach, you came to the conclusion that he might be a very good match, based on several factors......

Portray the selection as a collaborative effort with the coach. It shows thoughtfulness, and further compliments him because he's actually the agreed-on best choice by both of you.

It really doesn't matter who came up with the initial suggestion anyway. What matters is that you both reflected on it, and come to a conclusion that he might be great.

-Hugh