The evidence has been clear for a long time: people with mentors tend to be more successful than people without them. Yet as organizations get flatter and managers take on more and more direct reports, mentoring is often the first thing to slip. Many managers are so buried in schedules and administrative work that there’s no time left for training, coaching, or even getting to know their people.

Everyone loses when that happens. Employees miss out on leadership, and companies pay the price when their next generation of leaders never gets developed.

A Mentor Is More Than a Good Boss

A mentor isn’t just a role model. A mentor is a supportive leader who knows the ropes and is willing to share them with you. A good supervisor is valuable, but their view is often just a few steps ahead of your own. A true mentor brings a broader vision and a depth of experience that can change the direction of your career.

Professional growth is a lot like personal growth. You can do it by yourself, but it’s easier and more rewarding when you learn from the wisdom of others. And the most highly evolved professionals are the ones who go on to mentor others.

Five Ways to Find a Mentor

• Make a list of the people you admire. Think about who is doing the work you want to be doing in five or ten years.
• Reach out and ask. Don’t be afraid to call them and ask for their feedback and support. Most successful people remember someone who helped them and are glad to pay it forward.
• Come with specific questions. A focused question about a decision you’re facing is easier to say yes to than a vague request for advice.
• Look outside your company. Professional associations, alumni groups and your wider network are full of people who can see your career with fresh eyes.
• Mentor someone yourself. Helping someone a few steps behind you sharpens your own thinking and grows your network.

Mentoring is networking at its best. For more on building relationships that open doors, read about my book Work Your Network.

A version of this article first ran in The Network!, my recruiting newsletter, in issue 6 (1995). Marianne Hampton, then a Vice President at our firm, wrote the original, which was also reprinted in the Institute of Management Accountants San Francisco Chapter newsletter in May 1995. The advice has held up, so I’ve updated it here.

I’m Joe Pelayo, an executive recruiter for 40 years and founder of Joseph Michaels International here in Dallas. We recruit for roles with base pay from 75K to 2 million, and one call to me reaches our network of 700 recruiters. Right now we have 1,633 open jobs.

And for a quick, upbeat look at the headlines, join me on The Top Five News Show, weeknights at 5 PM ET. Over 3.3 million viewers watched it in the last year.

Let’s Talk

Thinking about the next step in your career? I’m glad to be a sounding board.

Call me at 1-800-786-1099 or email info@josephmichaels.com.

Joseph Michaels International, 13355 Noel Road Suite 1360, Dallas, TX 75240