The power of mentoring
25 Jan
When I quit a job last April, I met with a lot of people in the hopes of expanding my professional network. One of those people was Michelle Zeiser, branch manager of Experis, who came recommended by a friend. I liked her right away, even though she probably wouldn’t be the connection to help me find my next job. We continued to meet periodically until I finally popped the big question: “Will you be my mentor?”. She agreed and I am deeply grateful.
I have never had a mentor. Sure, there have been professionals I’ve admired or occasionally turned to for advice but this is the first time I’ve made the leap of formalizing the relationship. The time seemed right because I’m at a pivot point in my life, which includes reinventing my career.
Michelle isn’t much older than me, and we don’t share the same education, experience, or career goals. So why ask her to be my mentor? Because every time we meet, I walk away with a clearer vision for my future. I also leave with questions to mull over, several actionable ideas, and a great deal of motivation.
Although the web is packed with articles about the benefits of mentoring, I could find very little data to actually support its value. This Anita Borg Institute study uses 1990s research to assert that mentoring results in higher job satisfaction and promotion rates as well as increased income. I suspect the dearth of statistics is because mentoring is all about relationships, which are pretty tough to quantify.
That said, I can personally attest to the power of mentoring. Michelle and I meet for about an hour a month. I talk about my goals, my weaknesses, my fears. She asks questions, makes suggestions, builds my confidence. She gives me assignments and serves as an accountability partner. It’s equal parts friend, counselor, and coach. After just a few months, Michelle has helped me develop a solid strategy for growing my marketing business. I’m focused, driven, and excited.
If you don’t have a mentor, you should. (Heck, even my mentor has a mentor!) Still not convinced? Read this Houston Chronicle article on the 10 benefits of mentoring. The key, of course, is finding the right mentor. Meet with people in your professional network or contact folks you admire, regardless of whether they are in your field. Date around a while before you pop the question. For more advice on finding the right mentor, check this Small Business Trends story.
