Professional Mentors
Four Types of Mentors You Need in Your Life
Mentors are a vital part of any professional career. Far too often we associate this word with one person that we rely heavily on for all our career and even personal advice.
We could be getting this wrong, Betty Liu breaks down 4 different types of mentors that could be and should be in your life.
“Not all mentors are created equal”, Betty explains that having multiple mentors in your life for different reasons is like having your own “personal board of directors”. A phrase that comes from Sallie Krawcheck at Ellevate.
As you continue to read, think about the different people in your life that could be mentors. Think about how often you seek this person out for advice and what kind of advice you’re seeking from them.
Mentor : An experienced and trusted adviser.
The 4 C’s –
- The Coach – Someone with expertise in your field, willing to coach you through professional roadblocks and work-related issues. Willing to help you learn and work through mistakes along the way. No judgement or impatience, the Coach is someone who truly wants to help you learn.
- The Connector – Someone with a wide and very deep network who loves connecting people. Think an extrovert X 10. A truly unselfish person who desires to help others make meaningful connections. This mentor is the one making friends at events and thinking of who they might be able to connect you with to further your career.
- The Cheerleader – We all have a friend that uses any excuse to celebrate. The friend who will throw a party or invite everyone out for happy hour when you mention a success. This friend will celebrate the big and the small stuff, and they are always there to make a bad day bearable. The Cheerleader is a mentor of similar style, always cheering you on and reminding you that even the bad days are a learning experience.
- The Challenger – This one might just be the most important. Having someone speak truth into your life, even when it’s hard to hear, is the best way to grow. Constructive criticism can be difficult to digest, but when it comes from someone who genuinely wants the best for you, it usually causes us to challenge our status quo.
It’s important to discern each mentor from the other. If you’re in a season of life where you need a “Cheerleader”, chances are your “Challenger” won’t be able to fulfill that need.
Reflect on who in your life is which “C”, is there room for others?
Sources:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/4-types-mentors-you-need-your-life-right-now-betty-liu/