How Mentorship Is Both Career Changing and Life Changing

Growing up, most people think that their days of learning are confined to the K-12 system and attending an institute for higher education. While that’s certainly true if you look at the specific type of theoretical, disconnected work that goes on during our early lives, career progression offers some of the most important lessons available to professionals - regardless of any industry specifics. On-the-job learning provides multiple opportunities for workers to change preconceptions, gain experience in handling complex problems, and communicate more effectively. Most important of all, the workplace creates a connection with mentors: experienced business leaders who can offer life-changing advice and transferable skills.

As a successful professional with managerial and executive experience, you’ve got all the qualities necessary to provide this invaluable mentorship to your proteges - be they professional or personal relationships. But before you learn the beneficial effects of mentorship, it’s important to know how this practice is qualified. Experts in the field provide a helpful distinction between a mentor and a teacher, stating: “Unlike teaching, which has evolved a rich base of pedagogical practices… mentoring has usually been based on the individualized practices of mentors who often tenaciously resist structure or approaches that would limit their domain of [expertise].”

Essentially, you provide a form of customized education that allows for the development of those “outside the box” techniques that are necessary to grow and succeed in today’s crowded marketplace. Now all you need is a comprehensive system that allows you to teach those transferable skills in a streamlined fashion. Just think about how valuable that knowledge would have been when you were in their situation. It makes a world of difference.

Reignite Passion 

It’s no secret that people are spending more and more time working. With all these hours clocked at the office (or home office), it’s important for professionals to have someone they can turn to for advice when their “passion” begins to feel a lot more like work. This is because, at one time or another, they’re bound to experience a sense of stagnation and complacency that comes hand in hand with burnout and overworking. Gallup has previously reported that upwards of 50% of surveyed managers have experienced issues with engagement at work.

Sometimes this languishing is the result of an unclear career trajectory. In many cases, it may just be from a lack of a strong workplace relationship or an organizational hierarchy that is difficult to climb. Whatever the main cause, guidance from a respected figure can make all the difference in this struggling professional’s life. An experienced mentor provides their mentee with a fresh perspective on a field of work that has lost its appeal and excitement. This important line of dialogue often leads the professional to reconnect and resonate with the field that they were initially enamored. 

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Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/business-hard-working-autonomous-1067978/ 

Instill Confidence 

One of the most difficult things to see in the professional or personal realm is squandered talent. Letting insecurities, fears, and other negative feedback get in the way of high-level functioning can be devastating to one’s professional and personal life. With your extensive experience as a business leader, you can help remedy the situation by providing much-needed one-to-one support.

As we grow professionally, the consequences of our actions increase in severity as we accept more responsibility. This leads to higher levels of stress and self-doubt that inevitably inhibit one’s ability to execute at a high level. As a professional with mentorship-level experience, you’re in the critically important position of providing the interpersonal support necessary to address this lack of confidence. 

For example, setting up a goal system of incremental importance allows your mentee to experience success in the relative safety of a low-priority assignment. As they continue to build on these successes, you will gradually guide them to the point where high-level decision-making is not only less-stressful, but actually becomes something they enjoy!

Building Trust 

With job security and competition with peers becoming an all-too-familiar concern for many industries in today’s marketplace, it can be difficult for employees to trust that they are secure within their organization. Gone are the days where people could depend on working with one company throughout their working career and retire happily with a full pension. During these unstable times, the current workforce needs a reason to trust the company they represent.

As an experienced leader, taking a young mentee under your wing is a great way to build a foundational relationship with your staff. You’re acknowledging that they are important to the smooth operation of your company and that you are invested in their success. This also provides affirmation that your business offers reciprocal value and support to its people, going above and beyond simple financial compensation.  

Experience with Failure

One of the most invaluable resources you will provide as a mentor is an intimate experience with adversity and failure. “The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception and response to failure” is a truism that perfectly encapsulates how important it is to “fail correctly.” You no doubt experienced your fair share of hiccups on the road to success, and a thorough analysis of this failure is incredibly beneficial to both you and the recipient of your mentorship. Not only will these lessons prevent your mentee from making similar mistakes in their own lives, but it will also teach them the value of embracing failure on the road to success. 

If you’re looking to provide life-changing mentorship and pass along your transferable skills to the next generation, look no further than the comprehensive solution offered by MentorCloud. Our industry-leading platform allows you to efficiently and effectively leverage your professional experience in a digital setting that will keep your mentee on track to reach their own career and life goals. Contact us today for a demonstration of our mentorship program!