Hit and Run Mentoring

Every Friday morning at work, an alarm goes off on my computer reminding me to mentor someone.  Anyone.  Look across the sea of cubicles for someone who doesn't look too busy.  Someone I haven't talked to in a while.  Someone I usually don't work with.

I pick someone and ask if they've got 10 minutes to go to a huddle room and talk.  They look puzzled, wondering what I'm looking for.  We get to the room and I tell them I've made a habit of what I call "hit and run mentoring".  I just check on someone, find out how they are doing, let them talk about their projects or anything that's bothering them.  I tell them I believe in mentoring people at work, just as we've all been taught to do, but that the formality of asking someone, "Can you be my mentor?", is often so intimidating that nobody gets around to it.  And if you do get around to it, what if the person you ask doesn't really want to do be your mentor, but they feel they can't say no?  Will your meetings be clouded by their resentment?  Or what if they DO want to be your mentor, and you soon learn that the relationship doesn't work for you?  How do you get out of it?

To avoid these issues, most of my mentoring is "hit and run".  I ensure the other person that there's no commitment.  I just want to hear what's going on with them for a few minutes and offer suggestions if they want them.  I usually pick people who have a lot less experience in the company than I do or who are lower ranking managers, people I'm more likely to be able to help.

I find that my 10 minute "mentees" are usually quite grateful for the interest I show in them, all the questions I ask, and the coaching I offer.  The experience often leaves me with a little high that lasts for an hour or more.  It fits with my personality since I've tested high for "Woo", which amounts to "schmoozing" or bantering with acquaintances.  So it fits my strengths and gives me the reward of giving to others.  It also makes me a little less shy about approaching people higher up the org chart than I am and asking them for 10 minutes of mentoring when I need help.