A great mentor is a career must who can boost you career in many, incredible ways. Career mentoring is a process where an experienced professional, called a mentor, provides guidance and support to a less experienced person, often called the mentee, to help them develop their career goals and achieve success in their chosen field. Crucial to the mentoring relationship is that both parties come from the same industry.
The value of a great career mentor is best described by John Crosby as “a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.”
A mentor can help your career by in numerous ways. These include; providing new insights & perspectives; developing new skills & knowledge; providing solutions to business challenges; being your champion in promoting you for new roles; acting as a sounding board, keeping you accountable, by making their network accessible to you, by telling you when you are making an error; and, showing you a better way to do things.
Career mentoring can take many forms, such as one-on-one meetings, group mentoring, online communication, or a combination of these. The key to schedule regular mentoring conversations. I always advise my clients to schedule at least 4 mentoring session per year.
What makes a great mentor?
A great mentor is someone who possesses several key qualities that enable them to provide effective guidance and support to their mentees. Here are some characteristics of a great mentor:
- Experience and Knowledge: A great mentor should have significant experience and knowledge in the industry or field in which the mentee is seeking guidance. This allows them to provide valuable insights, advice, and support.
- Active Listening: A great mentor should be an active listener, taking the time to understand the mentee’s goals, challenges, and concerns. This allows them to tailor their advice and support to the mentee’s specific needs.
- Empathy and Compassion: A great mentor should be able to empathise with the mentee’s challenges and concerns and provide compassionate support and guidance.
- Positive Attitude: A great mentor should have a positive attitude and provide encouragement and motivation to their mentee.
- Honesty and Openness: A great mentor should be honest and open with their mentee, providing constructive feedback and guidance even when it may be difficult.
- Role Model: A great mentor should serve as a positive role model for their mentee, demonstrating leadership, professionalism, and other qualities that the mentee can emulate.
While career mentoring can be a valuable process, there are some potential pitfalls that mentees and mentors should be aware of. Here are three common pitfalls to avoid:
- Over-reliance on the mentor: Mentees may sometimes become overly reliant on their mentor, seeking guidance and approval for every decision or action. This can create a dynamic where the mentee is not taking enough responsibility for their own career development.
- Lack of chemistry: Not every mentoring relationship will be a good fit. Sometimes, there may be a lack of chemistry between the mentor and mentee, or the mentor may not have the experience or knowledge needed to provide effective guidance. It is important for both parties to be honest and transparent about their expectations and needs, and to recognise when a mentoring relationship is not working.
- Unrealistic expectations: Mentees may sometimes have unrealistic expectations about what a mentor can do for them. A mentor can provide guidance, support, and advice, but ultimately it is up to the mentee to take action and make things happen in their career.
To avoid these pitfalls, mentees should take ownership of their career development, communicate openly and honestly with their mentor, and have realistic expectations about what a mentor can do for them.
For further career advice, you may find this Future U Coaching article of value >>
