There are too many benefits of career mentoring for women to fully discuss in a short article. So that should tell you about the potential value available when you team-up with an experienced person. There’s nothing new about mentoring because it’s been around for thousands of years. Socrates mentored Plato, and he did a pretty good job of it as the world knows. When you’re in a mentoring relationship, you will learn from both the experiences of your mentor and the knowledge that person worked hard to gain. So this really is a high-value form of leverage that can catapult your career or business to all new heights.
If you are being mentored, then that makes you the mentee. One of the greatest benefits is you will have carte blanche to drive the program according to your needs. Mentors understand the overall process and also derive their role based on knowing what works. So the mentor often asks what you want to work on, and after all, you’re the one who knows what you want. What you should do is think carefully about your goals and what you need to reach them. If you’re not sure, then, by all means, ask your mentor to help you develop or refine your goals.
As you work with your mentor, he or she should encourage you to:
** outline your career goals and discuss a preliminary plan to reach them
** list your fears within an empathy environment
** discuss ideas, risks and potential opportunities
Be prepared to hear honest feedback that may initially sound critical but it’s given with respect.
Even the most successful women and men in business and all professional careers can benefit from a gifted, caring mentor. And you should consider finding one who’s a good fit for your personality and career path.
