On a hot summer’s day, exactly 30 years ago, on 15 August 1993, I arrived in Canada, with almost everything I needed to successfully settle here, except I didn’t have a #mentor. Thankfully, I was able to successfully navigate the many challenges and obstacles that any newcomer or young professional have to face, without having a mentor throughout my career.
John Crosby defined #mentorship really well – “Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.”
From my recent experience as a mentor, I would add the following points –
Experienced professionals, particularly those going through a #careerchange or transition, can benefit from #reversementoring – having a younger, less experienced person as a mentor them.
Mentorship doesn’t have to be a formal arrangement. Sharing a nugget of #wisdom can be the “aha moment” that is powerfully transformational for a less experienced person.
It’s important to know the difference between mentorship and giving good #adviceforsuccess . Some people have the emotional intelligence and skills to succeed, but they lack the information needed to provide access to business networks, creative ideas and resources to succeed and achieve their goals.
Admittedly, there are some things that a #mentor cannot teach you. I quickly found that out while trying to adapt to my first Canadian winter!
See the BIG picture. Focus on what’s important.
theBIGpicture Camille 