Profile Three Experts

1. Choose three experts on your topic. Vary your group by considering age, culture, background, genre, and other factors. While you can choose someone you know, remember you can also choose anyone you can research online–past or present.

2. Profile your three experts by gathering as many answers as you can to the following questions.

– What is this expert known for?

– What two or three successes stand out?

– What two or three setbacks stand out?

– Who are/were their mentors? (Bibliographies and acknowledgement sections are great places to explore influential people in an expert’s life.)

– What books, resources, or tools does this expert recommend?

– Does this expert offer any step-by-step guidance, a framework, or strategies you might try? (Note the top one or two that resonate with you if you encounter an abundance of options.)

– What quotes from this expert embody their message?

3. Review your three profiles. Does one of these experts stand out as a strong match to guide your next steps? Or, did your research point to someone new you’d like to explore?

4. If you’ve chosen a thought leader as a mentor, take a month or so to soak in their expertise. Read, watch, and/or listen to whatever you can from them, and remember to reflect along the way. Once the month is up, evaluate your progress and decide whether to stick with the same mentor next month, or whether to move on to another expert who can push your growth in a new direction.

5. Or, if you’ve chosen a hands-on mentor, contact that person and set up your first meeting! Don’t forget to share what you learned from your profiling process with your mentor. The more you communicate about your goals and questions, the more effective your mentor can be in helping you move strategically forward.