If you have ever found yourself struggling with a decision and questioning what direction to take, you could need a mentor.
Behind almost every successful person, chances are there’s a mentor. In fact, finding a good mentor is one of the best career strategies you can make, and it is worth your time to start watching those who could help provide you with the organizational insight and wisdom you need to move ahead.
Start by focusing on what you need from a mentor. Conduct a career inventory based on your goals you most need to develop. Ask yourself who would be the best person to advise you on ways to grow professionally? Who is a good role model? This is a very important step: You need to develop clear goals before you ask someone to help you.
Finding a mentor is not that hard. The best relationships usually start over a shared project or a common goal. In fact, don’t reach out to just one person; you’ll benefit more from mentoring relationships with at least two people, because you’ll be getting multiple perspectives on key topics.
Should your mentor be someone inside or outside your organization? You probably will get the most well-rounded perspective if you have both. But, the mentor outside your organization needs to understand your career interests and your field in order to give good advice.
The person you ask to mentor you needs to have a genuine attitude of care and concern. When thinking about who would make a good mentor, consider people who not only are more knowledgeable in a certain area, but will inspire you and challenge you to grow. In many cases, choosing someone with a different problem-solving style will give you a unique perspective.
Simply put, you need to feel comfortable with your mentoring relationship, and there needs to be mutual respect and admiration.
When choosing a mentor look for the following characteristics:
• Self-confidence: You want someone who is not threatened by those who want higher goals or greater achievement.
• A desire to help others: Look for a person who enjoys helping people succeed and takes the time to listen to people and give feedback.
• Values your personality: Someone who accepts your differences while inspiring you to grow in areas needed to achieve your goals will have the most impact.
• A keen sense of organizational politics and structure: A person with these strengths can teach you timing and ways to effectively communicate.
• A willingness to share their connections: You want a mentor who can introduce you to their network and help expand your professional connections.
• Emotional intelligence: Someone who adapts their communication style to their audience can work comfortably with diverse groups, a sought-after skill.
Having a mentor makes good career sense, and in today’s turbulent market it helps to have someone on your side to keep you grounded.
Do you have a mentor? If so, how have you benefited from your mentoring relationship?
