OG Tuesday Issue #179

Networking resources, strategies, best practices, and etiquette change drastically from year to year, sometimes even from minute to minute. Here are some techniques to use in 2024.

Leverage tools and services created to help you find the right mentor.

MentorCruise is a catch-all site where you can search and connect with mentors. If you want to narrow your search, join relevant professional associations that offer mentoring as part of their membership package.

Pitch the idea of launching a mentoring program at your organization.

If you’re craving mentorship, then chances are, a lot of the people you work with are too. Field an informal survey or poll to get a rough estimate to take to your org’s decision makers. You might also suggest one of these resources designed to make all the aspects of managing a mentoring program easier than ever.

Look for potential mentors right in front of you.

In many cases, you don’t actually need high-tech solutions to find the perfect mentor. They could be right in front of your nose. (Even if they’ve never offered to be your mentor or anyone’s mentor, they may still say “yes” if you ask them.)

Think about all the current and former managers, colleagues, acquaintances, and even friends you admire. From that pool, make a ranked list of three people you could see as your mentor. Email your #1 with an invitation to discuss the idea of starting a more formalized mentor/mentee relationship. (We put a template below if you need it.)

If your #1 doesn’t work out for any reason, then repeat with your next choices.

Mentor Outreach Template

Dear [X],

We both know how much I admire your [accomplishments, skills, expertise, etc.] and value your opinion and guidance. For years, I’ve been considering finding a mentor; the idea of making a mutually rewarding connection with someone is appealing and deeply important to me.

When I started imagining my perfect mentor, you popped into my head immediately. I’ve learned so much from you already and feel there’s so much more we might learn together.

Let me know how you feel about exploring that possibility with me. Are you free sometime in the next month to sit down and talk about it?

Cast a wide net on social media.

Start paying attention to the accounts you follow for professional purposes. Whose ideas are you sharing and commenting on most frequently? Who do you most want to learn from?

The smarties at Deloitte have some advice for how you might turn online connections into deeper relationships:

“Take note of where and on what topics your future connections post so you can intelligently contribute to the conversation. Making connections can come in the form of resharing or commenting on your connections’ posts with powerful insights and developing the relationship from there.”

Think outside the box of your professional development.

Mentors can bring so much more than professional advice and guidance to the table. If you like the idea of having a whole-human mentoring relationship, then dedicate your networking time to groups and organizations aligned with your specific interests and passions. For example, you might find the mentor you need at a book club, during a cooking class, or during a local group hike.

And remember! Ask not (only) what your potential mentor can do for you—ask what you can do for your potential mentor. According to Superconnector: Stop Networking and Start Building Business Relationships that Matter, the best connectors don’t just strive to know more people; they strive to help more people.

Do you organize the baby shower and birthday gifts at the office?

Maybe you’re the Room Parent and organize teacher gifts from the whole class?

You need to try GroupTogether! It’s the easiest way to collect money for a gift and create a gorgeous group card all-in-one 😍.

Just share a link and everyone can chip in and sign the card online. Then choose from 150+ eGift Cards, or give the AnyCard and let the recipient choose.

It’s SO easy. And it’s free. No school or company sign-up needed.

👉 Try GroupTogether Today.

Once upon a time, people had little trouble keeping their professional and personal selves separate. Today, social media and connected work schedules blur the lines. Everyone may decide how much or how little to let their personal and professional selves merge.

Do the Venn diagramming exercise below to figure out where both “yous” might benefit more from overlap or separation.

Instructions

Draw 5 blank Venn diagrams on one sheet of paper. (See an example Venn diagram here.)

Fill in the diagrams using the following prompts.

Diagram 1 – Success

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Who has time for a hobby, right?

Most of us (Zippia estimates 89% last year) experience occasional or chronic burnout.

Adding something on top of that mess seems like…not the best idea. Spreading butter and preserves on burnt toast cannot make it anything but burnt toast.

But that’s the magic of a truly restorative hobby. You can add it on top of everything else you’re doing and somehow feel less stressed overall.

Restorative hobbies can:

Finding what’s restorative to you is the key. These hobbies take up time but also restore energy, making you feel less depleted than you were when you started.

“Restorative” looks different for everyone, but a common feature is being deeply engaging while requiring minimal mental effort.

Here are some hobby ideas. Pick the statement you most relate to and meet your new hobby.

“I feel most restored after I enjoy quiet, meaningful connections with people.”

Try a social hobby, such as joining a meditation group.

How to get started: Here are some resources you can use to find a digital group and/or a group that regularly meets in your area:

“I feel most restored after getting some fresh air and sunlight.”

Try a nature-related hobby, such as gardening.

How to get started: Julia Berolzheimer recommends starting small by planting a garden or a window box.

“I feel most restored after concentrating on projects that get me working with my hands.”

Try a creative hobby, such as making plastic-bag art.

How to get started: Chances are you have some spare plastic bags lying around somewhere. Grab those and start with a simple project, like this basket.

“I feel most restored after engaging in activities that make me lose track of time.”

Try a physical hobby, such as martial arts.

How to get started: Here are some resources you can use to find a class in your area:

International Women’s Day was created to celebrate women’s achievement, and the United Nations focus for 2024 is investing in women. Celebrate the day by reflecting on past milestones and supporting the future of women’s economic empowerment.

Reflecting on Past Milestones

1848 – The Married Women’s Property Act passes in the United States. This law allowed women to maintain full ownership and rights to their property when they got married. It doesn’t sound like much, but prior to its passing, a woman would essentially cede all her property rights to her husband upon marriage. It set an important precedent for future milestones—that women could and should own things.

1951 – 1,500 women storm the Egyptian parliament. Egyptian activist Doria Shafik led the charge to demand pay and political equality. Women in Egypt got the right to vote in 1956.

1990s – Women in India conserve the environment and economic opportunity. In India, environmentalist Vandana Shiva started Navdanya to conserve eco-diversity and biodiversity, which protected womens’ livelihoods amidst major land ownership and economic disparities.

These are just a few of many successes worth celebrating. See the UN’s Women’s History Timeline for even more.

Supporting the Future

Become an advocate for girls through Girls, Inc., a nonprofit that pushes for policies with the potential to end social and systemic barriers to economic equality.

Help the Global Fund for Women stand up for gender justice. (There are plenty of ways to get involved.)

Support the Mariposa DR Foundation, which aims to end generational poverty by educating girls to become empowered young women.

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📄 Streamline your 1:1s this week with Notion’s free template. It’s a simple system that won’t take too much effort to adopt.

🍇 If you’re looking to step up your refrigerator organization game, check out these stackable fridge organizers. We love that they are drawers to make items easily accessible!

🫶🏻 Confidence and self-doubt is a common struggle our TA community faces — check out this Self-Love Workbook to help you build confidence and self-love.

👉 Share your advice here.