3 reasons to work with a mentor

“Show me a successful individual and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I don’t care what you do for a living—if you do it well I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor.”

— Denzel Washington

Imagine embarking on a voyage to an unfamiliar destination without a map or compass. The chances of getting lost or taking detours are high. Similarly, in the realm of personal and professional development, working with a mentor that can act as your compass, providing valuable insights and directions based on their own experiences and expertise could mean a more efficient journey.

Mentors offer a unique perspective, allowing you to see potential downside of a situation and opportunities that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. Their guidance empowers you to make informed decisions and navigate through challenges with confidence. Think of them as your trusted advisor, helping you steer your ship through the turbulent waters of life.

A good example that comes to my mind is one of my past mentees that worked with me on setting boundaries and improve communication skills - while we talked about her patterns in conflicts, she realised how she was retracting from relationships rather than looking for healthy, emphatic ways to communicate her needs and set up boundaries. With a mix between coaching and mentoring our sessions she started practicing and reflecting on each relationship and she was able to open new opportunities of communication with her peers from different perspective.

Here are 3 reasons to have a mentoring relationship:

1. Fast track your growth
   A benefit of mentoring is an accelerated Learning and Skill Development that are crucial for becoming a better professional and human being. while learning on your own can be time-consuming and, at times, inefficient - this is a place where a mentor's expertise shines. In the shoes of a mentee you gain fast access to a wealth of knowledge, refined through years of experience. A mentor can offer you personalized guidance, helping you avoid common pitfalls and offering shortcuts to mastering skills.

2. Network and opportunities

   Success is often about who you know as much as what you know. Through a mentor you can gain access to an extensive network of contacts, opening up a world of opportunities for you. Mentors can introduce you to influential individuals, potential collaborators, or even job opportunities that align with your goals. The mentor's endorsement carries weight and credibility, often giving you a foot in the door that might otherwise be hard to attain.
   One example that comes to mind here is on public speaking connection that was mentored by a CEO from an IT Company - while my connection was looking for a professional change he open the topic in his mentoring session - the mentor introduced him to several HR professionals from different companies and that lead to a career change and boost for my connection

3. Accountability and Motivation
   While we are our most bigger critics having a mentor is a way of being held accountable in a empathic and supportive way, while your motivation is high cause you have someone that is at your side at every big step of the development journey. While I work with my mentees we create a developmental map to them where we can fill in the milestones effectively, checking in on the progress and ensuring that my mentee stays on track. Knowing that they have to report their progress to someone they set up a relationship based on support and respect can fuel their determination to meet and exceed their objectives.

A good tool from a mentor’s bag is the skill to provide constructive feedback and encouragement, boosting the mentee’s confidence and motivation. In moments of doubt, a mentor words can reignite passion and help you as a mentee to push through challenges.

A striking example is A, that she wants to become a blogger. We have been working together from the past 2 months, and while we stay in contact and I offer her encouragements on her writing skills while keeping her accountable on the goals she set for herself when it comes to writing. She mentioned in today’ session that my faith in her vision empowers her when she feels that something is holding her back.

So if you feel at any point that somebody inspires you and you have a lot to learn from that person - reach our and ask them to mentor you - for sure the learning opportunities will be great.

While this post was a way to emphasizes the importance of mentorship and highlights how it can significantly impact personal and professional growth, it was meant to also boost your awareness of what a mentoring relationship can support you with. In the following 2 months I will go through the EMCC Mentoring Accreditation Programme in order to start my accreditation as a Mentor Coach.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash