#7 – Embrace a Mentor

It’s true…women are doers. But just because we can do it all, doesn’t mean we always should.  We put on our Wonder Woman gold lasso and bracelets and save the world like a true warrior princess should.  But is there an easier way?

Imagine Wonder Woman’s learning curve.  She didn’t have another strong female role model to emulate.  She was doing it all by herself.

The question is, would Wonder Woman have been an even greater super hero with a mentor?  Statistics say, yes!!

• 85% of executives interviewed say mentoring played a key role in their career success
• 94% of women owning small businesses who had a mentor say it was “critical” to their success
• Training alone increases productivity by 24%; the combination of mentoring and coaching increases productivity by 88%

Mentors have “been there, done that”.  They have experience and perspective that is invaluable in the workplace.  If self-promotion is the key to success, then mentors have the ability to help open the door.

Mentoring can be a formal or informal relationship.  A formal mentoring relationship involves specific goals and objectives, and is intended to help facilitate personal and professional growth.  It often has mutually agreed-upon parameters, guidelines, and timeframes.  However, there needs to be a natural, organic connection in order for a formal mentoring relationship to be successful.

Here are some of the benefits of having a mentor in the workplace…

• shortens your learning curve
• provides insight into critical office politics and personalities
• helps with goal-setting and career decision-making
• holds you accountable
• serves as a cheerleader and champion
• provides critical feedback
• is a trusted confidant and ally
• opens doors internally and externally
• boosts your confidence

An informal mentoring relationship looks a little more like selective “hero worship”.  Who are those people in your field or profession that you idealize?  That you want to emulate?  Who is a little further along in their careers that you could learn from?

There are plenty of writers, bloggers, speakers, and professional business women that I look up to and respect.  They are leaders in their industries and have mastered not only their craft, but how to promote it.  They are on a level, and have an audience, that sets a high standard for me to pursue.  Mentors don’t need to know you exist in order to provide value.  Just make sure the informal mentoring does not cross the line and end in a restraining order!

Doing it all is not always a virtue.  The isolated Wonder Woman mentality can hold us back and negatively impact our careers.  The truth is we don’t have all the answers…we don’t always know what to say, where to be, and how to conduct ourselves.  There is so much we can learn, improve upon, and promote if we simply embrace a mentor.