7 QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR MENTOR

                     (Conversation between two friends)

Emeka: Guy how far, how did your meeting go?

Mayowa: I’m just tired. The meeting was pretty dull.

Emeka: How so?

Mayowa: I noticed after our third meeting that conversation began to drag and became a chore. Most times, we don’t have much to discuss. What am I supposed to say? My mentor keeps asking if I have any questions.

I will not be surprised if quite a number of us can relate to Mayowa’s plight. You finally are successful with getting a mentor, but now you do not know how to go forward, and you are confused. Am I supposed to ask questions? What questions do I ask? Why is my mentor not engaging me? And many more of such questions. What a lot of mentees do not understand is that you are the one who needs help; your mentor is there to help you; all you have to do is ask for the help. Now the question is, what are the right questions to ask? Here are seven such questions that can help you.

And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive

Matthew 21: 22

What can I do better? It is a great thing that you have a mentor, and it means you recognize that you need help, and having a mentor is to help you become the best version of yourself you can be. It is therefore essential to ask your mentor what you can do better from time to time. By asking this question, your mentor can do a critical analysis of your journey and identify the areas that need improvement.

Why do you do what you do? Sometimes understanding why a person does what they do, can help understand their strategy. When you know the “why” of what you do, the “how” will not be hard to figure out.

What are your regrets? One of the responsibilities is to help you circumvent avoidable mistakes that can lead to regrets in the future. A good mentor will willingly share some of their regrets with you; they would have gathered some along their journey. Knowing this will help you to be better equipped to avoid making those same mistakes. Note that this does not mean you will not make any mistake of your own (you sure will, it is part of the growing process), but it means you will be able to avoid making any mistake that even remotely looks like theirs.

How do people see me? A mirror cannot see itself. If you want an honest opinion about your person, you need a second party assessment. Your mentor is in the best position to give you an unbiased view of yourself because although they understand why you act the way you do, they also see how others, whether good or bad might perceive your attitude.

What is one question you wish you asked earlier? This is like a cheat question because when your mentor reveals the question to you, you will take learning from it and perhaps ask the question if it applies to you. Clever right?

Do you know any group or connections I should be a part of? Remember that mentors are connectors, your mentor might have resources that you need to tap. These connections might be beneficial to your growth as an individual.

What are my strengths? At the beginning of your mentoring relationship, your mentor must have done a SWOT analysis of you. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Knowing your strengths will help you maximize them to get the optimum results. You might be surprised at your capabilities.

Do not be afraid to ask questions; it is the reason you have a mentor, but also make sure you put the answers you get to good use. No mentor wants a time-wasting mentee.

Thank you for reading. Have you asked your mentor any of these? Please share your experiences with me in the comment section.