What questions to ask some mentors?
May 7, 2009 6:44 PM Subscribe
I'm going to a "speed mentoring" event in the near future, and I need some ideas for good questions to ask the mentors...
My employer is putting on a "speed mentoring" event in a few weeks, where employees will be broken up into small groups and given an opportunity to ask questions and absorb some wisdom from a group of high-level executives.
Essentially, I'll be in a small group that will have about ten minutes to ask questions and get advice from people we'd normally have little access to. If a "connection" is made between a particular mentor and employee, a longer-term mentoring opportunity might be possible, which I think would be really useful.
What questions should I ask? What's the best way to elicit nuggests of wisdom from wise old sages?
Or, put another way - if you were given ten minutes to chat with a CEO, what would you ask and why?
My employer is putting on a "speed mentoring" event in a few weeks, where employees will be broken up into small groups and given an opportunity to ask questions and absorb some wisdom from a group of high-level executives.
Essentially, I'll be in a small group that will have about ten minutes to ask questions and get advice from people we'd normally have little access to. If a "connection" is made between a particular mentor and employee, a longer-term mentoring opportunity might be possible, which I think would be really useful.
What questions should I ask? What's the best way to elicit nuggests of wisdom from wise old sages?
Or, put another way - if you were given ten minutes to chat with a CEO, what would you ask and why?
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2. Over the course of your career, you've likely met people who's careers have not met their obvious potential. What do you think is the most common reason when this happens?
3. Perhaps to cutesy, but something like: If you had had an opportunity like this at my stage in your career, what do you think you should have asked.
4. (A suck up question, it's true) What kind of skills can I build/develop at this stage in my career that will most benefit the company, and thus give me my best chance for earning the rewards that come from doing things that benefit the company?
You'll have to work on the wording a little, obviously, and maybe rework number 2 so it's about the most common thing people *do* rather than just the most common reason, which may be things entirely out of their control (e.g. timing, market cycles, ascription-based issues, etc.)
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:15 PM on May 7, 2009