The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Mentorship as a personal development relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. In my opinion, the definition is slightly more elusive. Have you ever had someone who believed in you and made you feel special, capable, and gifted? Perhaps this person encouraged you, pushed you, and imparted their wisdom to you in an effort to help you grow and succeed. In my humble opinion, a mentoring relationship has a variety of facets, though they are connected through central themes of encouragement and support.
These rare but precious relationships give you a glimpse of what it feels like to win, to dream, and to reach. I've been blessed to have several mentors in my life who have invested in me, and helped raise me up into leadership roles where I now have the opportunity to be a mentor for others. It is my sincere hope that if you have not experienced a mentor relationship, that this year, especially as a member of the OWA, you will.
In a recent study conducted on LinkedIn, 82% of women felt mentorship was critically important, but surprisingly, nearly 1 out of every 5 women have never had a mentor. Let's take a closer look at why that may be with a couple more interesting statistics. 67% of women said they have never been a mentor because nobody has ever asked them. 52% of women said they have never had a mentor because they had difficulty finding someone appropriate.
You may be wondering; does mentorship still exist? Does it even matter? I firmly believe mentorship in today's business world is more crucial than ever. There are multiple benefits to having a mentor including, but certainly not limited to; gaining confidence and new perspectives, receiving encouragement, assistance with networking, career advancement, collaboration, and sharpening your skill set.
So how do you find a mentor? I'm glad you asked . . . here are three tips posted by Nicole Williams to help you seek out the right mentor for you:
Start with the goal in mind. Before you can address the where and how of it all, it comes down to having a very clear view of what you're looking for. Whether it be the insight of an expert to help answer a specific question that's haunting you, or finding someone you want to emulate for their poise and integrity; the better you're able to define what you're looking for, the more apt you are to find it.
If there's one piece of advice when it comes to finding a mentor it's to think outside the box. We can easily get stuck thinking of mentorship as this formal, official way of relating to people in business; however, by narrowing our definition of who can help guide us in our careers, we can miss out on the potential mentors who are right under our noses (our neighbors, direct colleagues or even our relatives). More importantly, it ignores those we may have never met in our life but would be happy to answer a quick question if you make a common connection online.
You're not going to get anywhere if you're not willing to ask, "Will you be my mentor?" In general, people, especially successful people, want to help others by sharing the knowledge they've gained. While you don't have to pose the question quite so formally, you do need to ask it. Mentorship is responsible work but if there isn't a promise of fun, initiative or excitement on your part (which can literally be conveyed by having a smile on your face), don't expect your would-be mentor to embrace the opportunity to help you.
For those of you who are not quite sure where to start, the OWA has a Mentoring Committee, and they would be delighted to help you in your journey to finding a rewarding mentorship experience whether you are seeking a mentor, or are interested in becoming a mentor to others. Simply contact Deborah or Tammy and you'll be glad you did!
Co-Chair: Deborah Myres, Pacific Northern, Inc., 972-512-9012, myresd@pacificnorthern.com
Co-Chair: Tammy Reaves, Pearle Vision, 407-902-3373, treaves@luxotticaretail.com
"If you cannot see where you are going, ask someone who has been there before." — J Loren Norris
Back to: January 2016 : January 2016 Newsletter