The gentleman in the photo above looks like he’d be a good mentor. “Here’s how you get perfectly windswept hair as you set up your shot while wearing a most excellent pair of socks.” He seems to say.
What does that have to do with mentorship?
Let’s say you are the person taking the above photo. The camera rests in your grasp with comforting weight. The sailboats in the distance are nearly ready for their race. You have just minutes to take a great photo but you can’t seem to get it.
Frustration starts to set in. You have the equipment. You have the knowledge. You’re in the right spot at the right time. Why, then, are you unable to capture that wisp of inspiration that turns a mediocre ocean scene into a compelling image?
Probably because you haven’t asked the gentleman with the excellent socks for his input. You don’t need him to show you how to use a camera or suggest particular equipment. All you need is a conversation with a knowledgeable person who cares enough to ask you questions and remind you of things you already know.
You need a 5-minute mentorship.
Unlike the long term mentorships that we’re all accustomed to, a 5-minute mentorship is a brief exchange between people who may have just met.
I benefited from an example of a 5-minute mentorship yesterday in a phone conversation with an auto mechanic I’d never met from a store 30 miles away. I was changing the rear brake rotors and pads on my car and had run into some issues with a caliper that seemed to be frozen. (Pushing on the brake pedal puts pressure on the caliper which then squeezes the pads against the rotor to slow your car down.) I don’t need to give you the entire play-by-play for you to know that I was frustrated by a straightforward project that was taking more time and energy than I’d expected.
So I called the mechanic.
“It takes a lot of pressure to force a rear caliper open. You’re forcing it to do something it hasn’t done since new.” He responded to my question.
“At what point should I give up trying and go buy a new caliper?” I asked. I figured he’d tell me to try a bit more before buying a new part. I was in for a surprise.
“Right before you break your back.” He said.
That was all I needed. I had the caliper open in less than five minutes. The second axle took under 15 minutes to complete.
What did the mechanic do? He offered his experience and insight regarding my situation without belittling me or telling me to give up. I had the tools, the knowledge, and the basic experience to get the job done. The mechanic provided the bit of inspiration I needed to press on in spite of my misgivings.
I was able to gain the inspiration I needed without being a hassle because I didn’t need special help or require any sort of training. Just like the photographer standing on the rocky coastline, all I needed was a brief conversation before I could complete a worthwhile project.
What you need to make 5-minute mentorships successful:
- A solid grasp on your topic – 5-minute mentorships are often more successful when they focus on optimization instead of education. Do your research before you start asking for help!
- Be specific – Ask the expert photographer to suggest higher or lower f-stops, not “how can I take a great picture?” Ask the mechanic if there’s a trick to forcing brake calipers open, not “do you have any car maintenance tips?” Ask the creative director to point out weaknesses in a specific piece of copy, not “how can I become a creative director?”
- Worship brevity – Put as little between your introduction and question as possible. Most people are willing to give you a few minutes of their time if they think they can actually help you. If you haven’t found this to be the case in your own experience, it’s probably because you have a tendency to brown nose and blather instead of cutting to the heart of your question. Wasting another’s time is the ultimate display of disrespect. Do your best to avoid it and you’ll soon note that the people around you seem more willing to help.
A 5-minute mentorship is simply a value-added conversation. The question is, are you maximizing the value?
N.B. If you’ve not had the good fortune of coming in contact with David Mann already, I hope you’ll take a moment to follow him on Twitter. He’s proven a constant source of inspiration, thoughtful questions, and value-added conversation at every turn.