ing and
college counseling to low-income students. He wanted to meet with me and made it clear that he only
needed a few minutes of my time to ask for introductions to some people who could help expand his
organization. He had done his homework and knew that I care deeply about education. In our first
meeting and in every interaction we’ve had since, Garrett has been respectful of my time. He is crisp,
focused, and gracious. And he always follows up to let me know the results of our discussion.

Capturing someone’s attention or imagination in a minute can be done, but only when planned and
tailored to that individual. Leading with a vague question such as, “What is Facebook’s culture like?”
shows more ignorance than interest in the company, since there are hundreds of articles that provide
this answer. Preparation is especially important when looking for a job. When I left the Treasury
Department, former chief of staff Josh Steiner gave me great advice about asking for advice. He told
me to figure out what I wanted to do before I went to see the people who had the ability to hire me.

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That way I would not waste my one shot seeking general guidance, but would be able to discuss
specific opportunities that they could offer.

Mentorship is often a more reciprocal relationship than it may appear, especially in situations where
people are already working at the same company. The mentee may receive more direct assistance, but
the mentor receives benefits too, including useful information, greater commitment from colleagues,
and a sense of fulfillment and pride. Sociologists and psychologists have long observed our deep
desire to participate in reciprocal behavior. The fact that humans feel obligated to return favors has
6
been documented in virtually all societies and underpins all kinds of social relationships. The
mentor/mentee relationship is no exception. When done right, everybody flourishes.

Erin Burnett, now a well-known CNN journalist, credits Willow Bay, a veteran TV correspondent
and editor, for mentoring her when she first started out. Willow was a brand-new anchor of Moneyline
but did not have deep financial experience. Erin had worked at Goldman Sachs, which made her an
ideal person for Willow to hire as an assistant. Erin impressed Willow with her ambition, work ethic,
and talent. Meanwhile, Erin got to watch a savvy, established journalist up close and personal. Each
benefited from the other’s expertise.
⑨⑨
Justin Osofsky caught my attention at Facebook years ago when we were getting ready for our first
senior-level meeting with the Walt Disney Company. Each of our teams, including sales, business
development, and marketing, had submitted ideas for the partnership, but no one was coordinating,
which left our presentation disjointed and unwieldy. Rather than just submitting his section, Justin
took the initiative to pull the group together and integrate all the ideas. I have been “mentoring” him
ever since, which in his case means that I often turn to Justin to solve problems. This helps the
company and creates ongoing opportunities for him.

Getting the attention of a senior person with a virtuoso performance works, but it’s not the only way
to get a mentor. I have seen lower-level employees nimbly grab a moment after a meeting or in the
hall to ask advice from a respected and busy senior person. The exchange is casual and quick. After
taking that advice, the would-be mentee follows up to offer thanks and then uses that opportunity to
ask for more