A good mentor can change your life for the better. By receiving advice and guidance from an experienced business mentor, you can open your mind to possibilities that were previously not available.
Understanding mentoring, how it works and what to expect
Mentoring is a creative activity between a mentor and mentee (person receiving mentoring). It involves regular discussions on issues that are important to you as the mentee. A good mentor will help to explore issues that you are concerned about and encourage you to look more broadly and deeper at your own attitudes and behaviour. Expect to share your work experiences and expect to be challenged to try new ways of dealing with the people that you supervise.
Establishing a good connection between mentor and mentee
Open communication and trust between you and your mentor is very important. Choosing the right person as mentor, is therefore, essential for making the process a success. The connection must "feel right". That means that both people should be comfortable sitting down together, talking and reflecting on past events and planning future actions.
Making an effort and staying the course
Our businesses need effective decision makers and people managers in order to be sustainable for the benefit of all team members. To achieve desired outcomes from your mentoring program, participants need to make an effort, not just once, but on an ongoing basis. To keep striving to improve as a manager is a worthwhile endeavour, therefore, keep going with your self-development and stay the course.
Summary
Know what to expect from your mentoring program so that you enter the process with your eyes open. Be careful with your selection of mentor as the wrong choice will set you back. The right choice will take you forward on your career path. Mentoring takes commitment and effort to make it successful, and developing your capability as a manager is a worthwhile exercise.
Dr Andrew Dunning is a business advisor helping business owners and managers to improve their team building skills and managerial performance at http://www.smallbusiness-teambuilding.com.
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