Forbes has an article about business mentors with advice on how to find them and what to look for in a mentor.
Whether you're just starting your career or have reached middle management, anyone can benefit from having mentors. Even CEOs have people they can bounce ideas off, and with whom they can discuss their next career move or how to handle that disgruntled shareholder who wants their heads.
If your employer doesn't have a formal mentoring program, you'll have to go it alone and find one for yourself. It could be your boss, a coworker, a person in another department or even someone outside the workplace.
It is a balancing act -- you don't want to ask so much from a mentor that you sound needy. The Forbes also mentions a downside in that your mentor could start to see you as a competitor.
Mentoring should be a two-way street. It's not all about you, your problems and your career. Think about why you need a mentor and how the mentor would benefit from spending time with you. Then approach the person, but don't come across as needy.
Realize that as you work your way up the corporate ladder, your mentors will change.
"It may be someone you outgrow. The dark side of mentorship is that they may begin to see you as a competitor. You must be able to change mentors as you grow," says Larraine Segil, a partner at consultancy Vantage Partners.
