Many aspire to be great leaders, but few give much thought to being a great apprentice. Because leadership is borne through apprenticeship, the best leaders are also great apprentices.  They know that there’s always something they can learn from others and they’re not afraid to pursue it. In my earlier post, I listed three benefits to being a more intentional apprentice. But how do you become a more intentional apprentice? How can you get the most out of a relationship with a mentor? In my experiences both as an apprentice and as a mentor, I’ve found four fundamental strategies to be very effective:

1. Start small & focused. Be clear about your objective. The more focused you can be on what you want to accomplish, the more likely you’ll find a great mentor. You’ll make a better, more winsome, apprentice to your prospective mentor, too. Suppose you want to write a book and you’ve never been published. If you approach a published author or publisher and ask them to mentor you as an aspiring writer, you may not get very far. However, asking to meet with them briefly to get their perspective on which markets are best to write for, or what to look for in an agent, or the best conferences to attend, will more likely get you an audience and the possibility of a more lasting relationship. Start by asking to meet once. If that goes well, suggest a monthly or quarterly check-in. Don’t ask to meet any more often than is reasonable to accomplish your objective. Over time, your objective may grow and, with it, their commitment to meet with you as well.
2. Pursue the best mentors possible. When you want to excel in a particular skill, select a mentor from the highest shelf your network will support. The right mentor for you may be someone you know, or, perhaps more likely, someone separated by one degree–known by someone you know. Ask your network to help you accomplish your objective. For example, “Who do you know that might help me evaluate literary agents?” Don’t be surprised if you get some pretty incredible names. Many in your network will love to show off the superstars they know. Don’t let their superstar status or busy schedule intimidate you. The best mentors are busy people. But they’ll take time for those who are serious about achieving their objectives. Many are like the prettiest girl in high-school who never got asked out on a date simply because the boys assumed she was already taken. Good mentors, however, were usually mentored themselves and are eager to share their experiences to those who ask.
3. Be a learner. This seems rather obvious, but I’m always amazed at how many times I’ve met with someone who requested a meeting, only to find that they didn’t have a clear reason to meet. The conversation awkwardly fumbles about until I finally ask, “Why did you want to meet me?” Conversely, I’m always impressed by those who have prepared questions listed out ahead of time. The simple act of opening a notebook with prepared questions speaks loudly about their attitude and their respect for my time.
4. Own the pursuit. Like a good salesperson, always own the pursuit. As the apprentice, it’s your job to set the appointments and topics you’d like to explore. If you’re expecting a mentor to take the lead, you’re looking for the wrong mentor. At the end of each meeting, suggest a topic for the next, and always send an email to confirm your appointment. It will show your eagerness to learn and will create anticipation for your mentor too.

One final thought about intentional apprenticeship. Over the last thirty years, I’ve learned from some really stellar mentors. They’ve taught me as much about myself as they have the objectives I’ve discussed with them. One of the things I discovered is that it’s easy to look at their successes and compare them with my own–and come up short. (Remember, we’re reaching from the highest shelf.) That kind of comparison produces only envy or resentment, neither of which is helpful as an intentional apprentice. The best antidote to envy and resentment, however, is thanksgiving. So end every session expressing your thanks to them for their assets of wisdom and knowledge that benefits your personal growth.

As an intentional apprentice, what other strategies have you found helpful?

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If you’re like many, you may have a hard time with that last question. Perhaps you’re satisfied just the way things are—it’s enough just to manage the relationships you already have. Or, maybe you’re unsure what path you want to take and you don’t want to waste someone’s time until you get more clarity on your direction.

If either of those describes you, I’d like to persuade you to engage in a little intentional apprenticeship. Being an active apprentice…

• Expands your network. While no one else can run your race, no race is ever won without the help of others. Actively engaging with a mentor opens up the world of their network to you. If you land the right mentor, they’ll happily introduce you to others who can help you run your race even faster. The beauty of it is that they’ve already developed their network giving you a shortcut to the best resources they know.
• Fosters greater clarity. Setting intentional meetings with an advisor or mentor can be one of the fastest paths to personal clarity, especially if you’re unsure what direction to take. During the times of vocational uncertainty in my life, I’ve found short-term mentoring meetings (3-4 meetings over the course of a few months) to be enormously helpful. As we’d talk, I’d find areas where their expertise and excitement energized me, and areas where it didn’t. Noting those differences gave me insights into how God has uniquely wired me much more quickly than I could have discerned on my own.
• Avoids costly errors. This is the traditional expectation of mentors. They can help you be more successful by alerting you to potential issues that may arise and by avoiding the same mistakes they may have made. As the humorist Sam Levenson observed, “You must learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t possibly live long enough to make them all yourself.” Proverbs 15:22 put it succinctly, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”

No matter how far along in life you are, being an intentional apprentice is essential to leadership; a great leader must also master the skills of being a good follower. In my next leadership post, I will explore how to be a more intentional apprentice.

What benefits have you gained from those who have mentored you?

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