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Personally I wouldn’t ask “will you be my mentor”, but keep it more like “I value your advice and our conversations, can we do it more often?” Putting a label on it pressurizes it and makes it awkward in my opinion.
Subject Expert
Come prepared and prep early. If you’re having a call on Thursday send an email on Monday confirming call details outline a suggested agenda (just 2 or 3 topics). Don’t put the ball in their court to create the topics for discussion. The easier you make it for them, the more they give you.
I think there’s nothing wrong with asking directly for mentorship, why tiptoe around what you want, and it sets expectations on the dynamic. I’d be confused if someone asked to chat more often and what that means vs them clearly identifying me as their mentor. I’d know where I stand and what they want from me then.
Coach
I asked when I worked in corporate retail because the woman I admired was in merchandising. However I waited until I had a relationship via our leadership reviews and styleouts. I think that’s the key relationship first and she was honored. I also presented my what and my why as far as my goals. Since my assigned boss was not really interested in the field. I say go for it. Closed mouths don’t get fed. Most ppl are honored especially if they feel you are great as well.
Bowl Leader
I think it’s great to ask and sometimes some companies have a mentorship protocol in place with actual documentation around it (mentor-mentee contract or set of rules…). Anything you can use at your workplace to help guide you and avoid awkward situations?
Listen to some John Maxwell podcasts or read his books. He’s a mentor to several people and he at times talks about what he does personally to learn from others.
To me, it feels like a marriage proposal.
https://fortune.com/2015/10/05/never-ask-for-a-mentor/
https://hbr.org/2019/08/great-mentors-focus-on-the-whole-person-not-just-their-career
pay them money)