Monday, December 16, 2013

Have You Thought About Asking for a Mentor at Work?

Much has been written about the mentor-protégé relationship. A mentor affects the professional life of a protégé by promoting insight, identifying the much-needed knowledge, and expanding growth opportunities. Professional mentoring spans across all industries and professions, allowing you to find someone who has common goals. Although the relationship is directed at helping the mentee succeed in his or her career through business enrichment and goal setting from the mentor, the learning often goes both ways.

Reap Benefits from Experience and Perspective
One can enjoy the benefit of both experience and perspective by interacting with a mentor. The mentor can help you take onboard a new position and give you an insider’s view on how to execute things. Since every company has a culture filled with different personalities, procedures and politics, mentors can help you navigate in a new landscape by passing on their rich experience and wisdom. The protégé can follow the footsteps of his mentor and can skip several hurdles. It is a mutually beneficial relationship where in the mentor can also gain new insights regarding the new techniques and technology making rounds.

Help You Think Out of the Box
Mentors can give you a different perspective and make you look at situations in a myriad of ways. They can help you use your emotional intelligence so that you become adept in understanding yourself and your impact on others. Many a times in looking at situations in a different perspective, you somehow challenge your deep-rooted limiting beliefs. While you struggle to overcome those challenges, the mentor can often ask questions that can elicit an essential change of thinking in you.

Get Industry-Related Tips
There is nothing like learning from a person who has already been there. Lack of basic business knowledge and expertise is something that most beginners face as hurdles. However, mentors in the same profession can help you identify tools and techniques that work well and steer you away from the bad ones. When faced with a challenging situation, you can often use your mentor’s opinion as a yardstick.

Identify and Reach Long-Term Goals
Mentors can help you chalk out your career plans without getting distracted by day-to-day pressures. They can breed accountability and responsibility in you. Mentees soon get into the pattern of holding themselves responsible for completing their action plans. They then strive for achievements that they previously thought were not possible. A good mentor also provides you with impartial advice and acts as your counselor and motivator.

Get Inspired to Work Better
Mentors can be a source of inspiration for you. Under the guidance of a good mentor you can polish your skills and work efficiently with a clearer view of the future. You can also expand your network contacts and business acquaintances and open doors within your company and in other companies as well.

Develop a Meaningful Relationship
Friendship can’t be the criteria in a mentor relationship. Mentors can be a great sounding board for all issues and can be trusted confidantes. This relationship should be based on mutual respect, dependence and honesty. You should always value and respect the time that your mentor is giving you. You shouldn’t come across as being too pushy or needy. You should preferably try and hold back things that can wait until the next meeting if possible.

Always remember, this is a commitment on your part and your seriousness should be evident in your efforts. Mentors exist in all forms throughout your life and career. The relation that you share with your mentor is one of directness, introspection, responsibility and sharing successes and failures alike. In fact, mentors are great supporters of your positive attributes and they always help you during the bumpy spots of your career.

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