DEAR READERS: With January as National Mentoring Month, it begs the question: How can you make the most of one?

I’m a big believer in mentors. Not just professionally; whether you’re relocating to a new city or adopting a child or venturing into a new area personally that’s outside your knowledge zone, tapping into someone with experience and guidance can be worth their weight in gold.

As for professional pursuits, ask yourself what you want to accomplish and who can best help you meet your goals. It could be an internal or external contact — a former boss, colleague, professor, industry leader, for example — who has hopefully been there and done that, and may provide their insight.

Mentoring reminds me of watching a movie when you know the protagonist should open a door or go on the trip — or sometimes, avoid those entrances — but they cannot see it themselves. You, the viewer, are in a way that mentor with a bird’s eye view, just unable to communicate which path they should pursue.

Once you’ve identified your needs, you can start thinking about who to approach with your ask. In addition, get specific — you can tell them your objective and what you hope to accomplish and how you prefer to meet if they have time. Perhaps it’s an hour call every quarter and email check-ins as need be.

All responsibilities don’t fall only to the mentor. As the mentee, you have responsibilities to initiate meetings, show up and be present, do ground work and follow up on their suggestions, ask questions, listen, and also realize they don’t have a magic wand to make things automatically happen.

Jodi Petersen, vice president of customer experience at Chronus, said once you clarify objectives with your mentor, be engaged in the relationship. “By taking ownership of your mentorship, you foster a productive, collaborative environment that supports continuous learning and professional advancement,” said Petersen.

“A successful mentoring relationship is a two-way street that thrives on collaboration, openness, and mutual respect. As a mentee, you need to take an active role in your own development by demonstrating enthusiasm, embracing feedback, holding yourself accountable, and making your mentor feel valued. Adopting these attitudes not only helps you grow, but also shows potential mentors that you are worth their time and effort.”

When it comes to mentors as being leaders, Adam Galinsky, Columbia Business School professor and author of “Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others,” said, “The three universal dimensions of inspiring leaders are being a visionary (succinctly and vividly communicating a big picture, optimistic vision of the future), an exemplar (a calm and courageous protector who is authentically passionate), and a mentor (someone who empowers and empathizes with others).

As for some of the best things a mentor can do, Galinsky said, “Encourage and guide people to reach their full potential. Mentors are most inspiring when they see possibilities for you that you don’t see for yourself.”/Tribune News Service