A lifetime of work necessitates a lifetime of mentoring. We've already spoken about how the conventional notion of mentoring as a one-person job is no longer a reality in today's business world. The truth is that you will meet several mentors during your career and at various stages of your life. These mentors may not always adhere to the rigid framework of a conventional mentor/mentee relationship, but they are, however, no less critical in terms of your professional and personal growth. In the same way, as a developing child requires guidance at various stages of development, an aspiring business professional requires advice and encouragement at different stages of his or her career. These stages are divided into three categories: peer mentoring, job mentoring, and life mentoring.
Peer Mentoring: Begin with the Basics
Your colleagues are likely to be the most influential people in the workplace in the early stages of your career. Management can seem intimidating or unapproachable at this point in the game, so you turn to your peers for learning and guidance. They are on the same page as you and can understand your hopes, fears, and doubts. Maybe they've been working for the organization a little longer than you have and can give you some tips on how to shine and impress your superiors. Or maybe they can give you an idea of which managers are friendly and helpful and which ones to avoid. This kind of mentor is there to show you the ropes, help you fit in comfortably, and give you moral support. The communication is informal and frequent, which isn't always the case with career or life mentoring.
Career Mentoring: You Grow as Your Career Grows
Once you have learned the basic ins-and-outs of your career and begun to build your skill-set, you start to get a better idea of your career goals. That’s when a career mentor can be most effective. A career mentor is familiar with both the challenges and the rewards of your chosen career. They will teach you to prepare for and adapt to the many challenges you will face as you rise up in your career, and also give you guidance on the best way to achieve your career goals. They can help you understand what your role is in the organization, how your work contributes to the bigger picture, and whether or not you are on the right path for where you want to end up. Communication with career mentors is generally formal and happens at regularly scheduled intervals. A career mentor can stick with you throughout your career, or you may end up working with multiple career mentors at different points in your career.
Life Mentoring: A Step Ahead
Are you happy? Do you gain satisfaction from the work you do? Are you passionate about your career? These questions usually fall under the umbrella of life coaching, along with many other factors related to achieving a work/life balance. Rather than focusing on your career goals alone, life mentoring focuses on your career goals in the context of your life. A life mentor is there to help you assess your current happiness and what role your career plays in that happiness. Life mentoring can help you gain the perspective you need to ensure you are on a career path that will ultimately lead to a fulfilling life. The career path of an individual is rarely fixed from beginning to end. You will face many bumps and hurdles along the way. Effective mentoring throughout your career is important for overall development, and will lead to a rapidly growing career that you are proud of. The different stages of mentoring will help you clearly assess your ambitions and capabilities—both early on and as you continue to grow in your career.
Succeed in mentoring with MentorCloud
Realizing the importance of mentoring and its various aspects at different stages in a career is essential to a successful career and a successful business.Contact MentorCloud to learn more about how and when to implement mentoring. MentorCloud will connect you with the right people to help you create your own mentoring practice that is perfect for your team. If this post was valuable to you, please feel free to share it across your social media channels. Also, give us your thoughts on best practices and/or your experiences with mentoring. Thank you for reading, and check back in every Monday and Thursday for original posts on the #powerofmentoring!
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