Karen Keller
Finding the right mentor can mean the difference between struggle and progress. Why reinvent the when wheel it comes to the ‘know-how’ of the ins and outs are for you particular profession, career or strategy. To get in the game find the best mentor that fits for you. Here’s what you need to pay attention to.
- Matching Core Values. Yes, Attila the Hun had some remarkable leadership qualities BUT he misused them for bad things. So what if you get what you want, is it worth it to lose your self-respect and integrity in the process?
- Extensive Knowledge Base. Knowing not only about the company you work in but the industry at large, and then some, is what will put you ahead of the curve. Sure, Danica Patrick, NASCAR race driver, may know everything about racing and cars, but does she know about marketing and media strategy to execute her knowledge and put her in the spotlight? Point is to find a person whose knowledge base travels beyond into ancillary fields.
- Professional Not Personal. Always keep your relationship with you mentor professional. No dinners. No flowers. No chit-chat about the abuse you suffered as a kid. Lunches are fine. Conversation about interests and family is okay. Keeping the relationship professional will help you, and your mentor, stay focused about the reasons for the relationship as well as increasing your skills, knowledge and business sharpness.
- Significant Success. Select a mentor who has had and continues to have huge amounts of noticeable success for what you want mentoring for. You want to get into the mentor’s head; her thought process, her strategy, her rolodex, her ideas for your advancement. Not only should you find someone who is interested in their own success but YOURS, too.
- Response. It doesn’t matter if your mentor is Mary Kay herself, it does no good if she will not communicate on a regular basis. The communication has to be directed, focused, pertinent and leading to more ideas and conversation. They need to show an interest in giving you all they have.
Mentoring is different than coaching, supervising, counseling or advising. It’s about walking the talk right alongside you every step of the way.
