Taking Charge of Your Career (HBR Women at Work Series)

13

Build Chemistry with Your Mentor

by Janice Omadeke

There’s plenty of advice out there about the value of mentorship and the steps you can take to find a mentor. But what is less talked about is the intangible ingredient that transforms any relationship from functional to rewarding. That’s chemistry.

A lot of people put chemistry in a silo with romantic relationships, but the word itself has a few meanings. In this context, I want to focus on a singular definition: chemistry as “an interaction between people working together,” more specifically, an interaction that is “harmonious or effective.” This kind of connection often takes place when two people are drawn, or attracted, to one another, and it can—and often does—manifest itself in completely ...