The single most important relationship you will cultivate as you work your way toward the summit is the one you can have with a well-chosen mentor. A mentor is important because he or she can truly share wisdom with you and provide much-needed support as you grow and achieve at ever-higher levels.
Before deciding on a mentor that you believe is right for you, consider five guidelines:
- Know yourself: Think about where you are in your career and where you would like to be. Assess your personality type and which personality types complement your own.
- Keep an open mind as to who this person might be: Your mentor is not necessarily your best friend, supervisor, a person with a high-ranking title, or even someone in the same business as you. It’s far more important to find someone who exemplifies the traits and skills that you want to adopt.
- Identify where you may find a suitable mentor: Good sources include your professional network, your management team, industry associations, online communities, and professors.
- Know what you want to achieve from the relationship: A clear understanding of your purpose and the desired result will ensure that you find a suitable mentor.
- Think about people who have mentored you in the past: Think about the qualities you appreciated most about these past mentors and use them as barometers in determining the traits you desire in a new mentor.
Finding the right mentor is not easy, but as a person who serves as both a mentor and a protégé, Scott Addis strongly recommends the journey.