One activity that has been extremely valuable in my career is having a mentor or career coach. I have been lucky enough to have some incredible mentors throughout my career. Some mentored me briefly, but I remember lessons from those sessions, and what they taught me continues to help me today. I had the incredible fortune of working with other mentors for extended periods, and I am humbled and amazed at the information I am still learning from them.
If you don’t have a mentor, I strongly recommend reaching out and finding one. Many companies have mentors or can help get you in touch with one. You can also check with your manager, other members of your team, or other even Human Resources at work. Here are some examples of what you can learn from a mentor:
· Experience and Knowledge: Mentors and career coaches have a wealth of experience and knowledge which can be utilized to navigate complex career paths and situations. They can offer advice and strategies based on real-world situations they’ve encountered (Hunt & Michael, 1983).
· Networking: A mentor or coach often has a robust professional network and can provide invaluable introductions. A study by Wanberg, Welsh, and Hezlett (2003) showed that proteges who had mentors received more promotions and felt more career satisfaction due to their increased networking opportunities.
· Skills Development: A mentor or career coach can help with skills development, which is crucial for career advancement. A study by Underhill (2006) found that 77% of companies reported that mentoring programs effectively increased employee performance.
· Accountability: A mentor or career coach can provide a sense of accountability, helping to ensure that you’re meeting your career goals. A study by The International Coach Federation (2012) found that 80% of people who received coaching reported a positive impact on their self-confidence, and over 70% benefited from improved work performance and better communication skills.
· Perspective and Objective Feedback: Mentors and coaches can offer a unique perspective and objective feedback to aid in problem-solving and decision-making (Clutterbuck & Ragins, 2002).
· Career Strategy: Mentors and coaches can provide insights into long-term career planning and strategizing (Higgins & Kram, 2001).
· Confidence Building: Mentors and coaches often play a vital role in building confidence by providing validation, support, and encouragement (Luthans & Peterson, 2003).
· Work-Life Balance: Mentors can offer advice on work-life balance, an essential aspect of overall job satisfaction and productivity (Grant, Green, & Rynsaardt, 2010).
· Personal Growth: Apart from career guidance, mentors and coaches can contribute significantly to personal growth, helping individuals to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and potential better (Eby, Allen, Evans, Ng, & Dubois, 2008).
· Avoiding Mistakes: By learning from the experiences of mentors and coaches, one can avoid common mistakes and unnecessary setbacks in their career (Allen, Eby, Poteet, Lentz, & Lima, 2004).
References:
· Hunt, D. M., & Michael, C. (1983). Mentorship: A career training and development tool. Academy of Management Review, 8(3), 475-485.
· Wanberg, C. R., Welsh, E. T., & Hezlett, S. A. (2003). Mentoring research: A review and dynamic process model. Research in personnel and human resources management.
· Underhill, C. M. (2006). The effectiveness of mentoring programs in corporate settings: A meta-analytical review of the literature. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68(2), 292-307.
· International Coach Federation. (2012). ICF Global Coaching Study. Executive Summary.
· Clutterbuck, D., & Ragins, B. R. (Eds.). (2002). Mentoring and diversity: An international perspective. Butterworth-Heinemann.
· Higgins, M. C., & Kram, K. E. (2001). Reconceptualizing mentoring at work: A developmental network perspective. Academy of Management Review, 26(2), 264-288.
· Luthans, F., & Peterson, S. J. (2003). 360-degree feedback with systematic coaching: Empirical analysis suggests a winning combination. Human resource management, 42(3), 243-256.
· Grant, A. M., Green, L. S., & Rynsaardt, J. (2010). Developmental coaching for high school teachers: Executive coaching goes to school. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 62(3), 151.
· Eby, L. T., Allen, T. D., Evans, S. C., Ng, T., & Dubois, D. (2008). Does mentoring matter? A multidisciplinary meta-analysis comparing mentored and non-mentored individuals. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 72(2), 254-267.
· Allen, T. D., Eby, L. T., Poteet, M. L., Lentz, E., & Lima, L. (2004). Career benefits associated with mentoring for protégés: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(1), 127.