I’m confident you are off to a good start to the year and 2023 portends to be great.

But you can have an even better year if you establish a formal relationship with a mentor. It can be even stronger if you become an effective mentor for someone who needs your mentorship. This will be next week’s Leadership Tip.

Leadership Tip
Accelerate your professional growth by establishing a formal relationship with a mentor.

Everyone at every level in an organization can benefit from having a mentor. If you don’t yet have one, set a goal to source one in the next 30 days.

Why do you need a mentor?

• Good mentors teach you how to think, not what to think.
• Effective mentors accelerate your learning because they share their experiences and help you sharpen your thinking.
• They serve as sounding boards as well as answering your questions and offering suggestions and advice.
• They provide career perspectives and industry knowledge that guide your professional development. As a result, you will make fewer career mistakes and feel more confident in yourself and your future.

What should you look for in a mentor?

• When identifying a mentor, the single most important factor is the person’s willingness to be there for you. Your mentor must have the time and interest to help when needed while being as committed to your success as you are.
• When selecting your mentor, assess the person’s listening skills. Does he or she listen carefully and seek to understand your entire situation before offering you advice?
• Select someone with well-rounded experience and a track record of achievement.
• Determine if having two different mentors will bring you the most value. Mostly, you must absolutely trust the mentors you select.

If you already have a mentor:

• Consider approaching another person who can take you to a whole new level in a different area.
  As an example, you might work with someone who excels in industry knowledge and someone else who has expertise in professional growth.
• If your mentorship isn’t working as well as you’d like, take time to fix it or change it.

You can be successful on your own, but you’ll realize more success more quickly with a mentor at your side.