clipped from www.inc.com

A good mentoring relationship allows both mentor and mentee to develop new talents and build self-awareness. In business settings, the mentee can become more in-tune with a corporate culture, and the mentor can hone leadership skills. But arguably the toughest part of a mentoring relationship is finding a mentor. When beginning your search, consider these tips:

Know yourself: Consciously think about where you are in your career, and where you would like to be.

Be proactive: In some cases, mentoring relationships form naturally.

Ask for referrals: As with any search process, tap into your friends? and colleagues? networks to expand your reach.

Keep an open mind regarding who this person might be

Identify where you may find a suitable mentor: Good sources of mentors include your management team, industry associations, online communities, your clergy and/or congregation, and professors.

Know what you want to achieve from the relationship

Think about people who have been your mentors in the past