When it comes to gaining a great mentor, I’ve come to realize that “The Big Ask” is essential. While we know many mentoring relationships are formed organically; mentees may not always get the needed support if a mutual understanding is not communicated. Over the years, I have mentored young women of all ages and various levels in their personal, academic, and career paths. I have been amazed at the number of mentees that have not been bashful about deploying “The Big Ask.” This “ask” that I’m referring to is when an individual formalizes the mentor-mentee relationship by formally asking to be mentored. I’ve been the recipient of “The Big Ask” on several occasions, and I must admit that each request always leaves me a bit stunned. This amazement has nothing at all to do with me, but more so about the confidence exuded by each young lady who values herself enough to invest in her development by seeking a mentor. Demonstrating “the ask” is such a high level of self-actualization. It leads to forming a much more beneficial mentorship because it removes the gray area of not knowing whether mentorship is desired or not. If you have established a mentor-like relationship, I encourage you to deploy “The Big Ask” in order to take your mentorship to the next level. You may be surprised to find that your mentor is willing to avail themselves even more because you extended the invitation.
AGW
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