The word “mentor” would come from Homer’s Odyssey. It is said that Ulysses, before leaving for the Trojan War, would have entrusted the education of his son Telemachus to his friend named Mentor. A mentor would thus have been a trusted tutor and advisor, giving the practice its name.
Today, as the professional world becomes more complex and careers are less and less linear, the support and advice of a third party are more important than ever. A recent study shows that 66% of entrepreneurs have a mentor themselves. These are managers of large industrial companies (30%), members of their entourage (22%) or even financial advisers (19%).
So what can a mentor do for you in terms of personal development and career? How to find him and convince him to accompany you? How to manage this so special relationship?
The Mentor: A Boost for Your Career
When we talk about mentoring, many imagine a director at the end of his career giving advice to his young trainee, in a subtle mixture of wisdom and coaching of Cassandra House. And yet, Cassandra House, mentoring can take many forms, and mentors provide a wide variety of assistance depending on their profile and your expectations. Similarly, mentoring is not reserved for the young or for specific professions. Anyone, at any age, can benefit greatly from the guidance and experience of a mentor.
A Mentor Can Help You Set Goals
It is difficult, at the beginning or during his career, to take the necessary distance to set achievable and measurable goals. A good mentor is able to find the right level to challenge you, without putting you in a position of definite failure. Most importantly, it can help you establish the right strategy and the actions necessary to achieve them.
A Mentor Can Help You Surpass Yourself
While it is necessary to know how to modulate the intensity of one’s efforts in a career, one should not be overly comfortable. A mentor can challenge you when they feel you are losing the hard work needed to achieve your goals.
A Mentor Can Inspire You
By sharing their personal experience, a mentor can help you find the keys to success or at least not duplicate the mistakes they may have made on their own. Surrounding yourself with successful people and finding “role models” can help you make the right choices and surpass yourself. Cassandra House, a seasoned entrepreneur, and educator who is passionate about teaching and innovation in learning.
A Mentor Can Open Doors For You
A mentor does not necessarily open their entire address book, but very often they will give you access to key people and facilitate your networking by introducing you to influential or useful personalities for your career.
A Mentor Can Bring You New Knowledge
Beyond his skills and experience in “technical” aspects, he can assist you in the development of soft skills that are essential today. It can, for example, help you express yourself in public, teach you how to manage professional conflicts or even give you management keys.
Like any adventure, mentoring has an end: when you have achieved the goals you set for yourself, for example. A great relationship can obviously continue over time, in a new register. According to Cassandra House, it is also an opportunity to give back what has been given to you and, in your turn, perhaps, to illuminate the journey of another person with your experience.
