Everyone is looking for the right leadership advice when it comes to work.
Sixty-one percent of millennials and 41 percent of Gen X-ers polled in a recent Pew Research study said they would like to become a boss or top manager someday.
With so many people striving for leadership positions, the real question is how to get there. Where do you start?
Finding a mentor is one of the best ways to guide your career path or reinvigorate your work. Mentors help you navigate the big, bad business world and learn how to get ahead. They are the person who helps guide you through common work problems, make recommendations on how to improve your job performance, or even suggest ways to improve your work/life balance.
I have been fortunate to have had great mentors throughout my professional and personal life who gave me sound advice. I feel an obligation to pay it forward in an impactful way, so here is some of my favorite advice I have received.
Five lessons learned from Great Mentors:
- TAKE A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT: Many great people feel stuck in their jobs but are passionate about doing something greater. Try getting involved in the things you are passionate about, even if it’s during your free time at first. Volunteer to be part of a committee at work or with a group outside your organization. Remember, having passion for what you do is half the battle; it is how you grow both at your job and as a person.
- EMBRACE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE: Don’t be surprised if your mentor challenges you with questions or opportunities that might take you outside your comfort zone. Remember, the stretch is what maximizes your learning.
- TALK TO HIGHER-UPS: Don’t be afraid of executives – they just had to start somewhere. I am naturally a shy person, but on my first day of work at a DC law firm, I was in the elevator with the CEO of the company, and I said, “Hi, I’m new in marketing and wanted to thank you for allowing me to work here.” He asked what interested me about the organization and invited me to observe a communication strategy session. I was part of the team for months to help plan these meetings.
- FAILURE ISN’T THE WORST THING TO HAPPEN: I am full of failures – jobs I didn’t get, flopping campaigns, events that nobody attended. I am not going to lie, it sucks. But remember, you only fail if you don’t learn something from the experience. As cliché as it sounds, treat every failure as an opportunity to grow.
- BE KIND: This sounds like the same advice you remember learning in kindergarten, but you wouldn’t believe how many people forget to be kind to each other. A simple thank you, smile, or just saying hello can make a difference to someone’s day.
And remember, when looking for a mentor, don’t force it:
- BE ORGANIC: Since a mentor can be anyone who provides support and guidance, mentoring relationships are not clearly defined or labeled. Mentors don’t always need to be bosses or even someone in your field. Mentoring relationships can be formed in different ways – formal or informal. Find someone you admire and trust – you and your prospective mentor will know if this has the potential for a long-term mentoring relationship
To serve as a mentor is to share one’s energy and wisdom, to guide and counsel in a most authentic way. It is a relationship that yields lifelong benefits to the mentee and mentor.