I Have a Business Coach Do I Still Need a Mentor?
Do you need a Business Coach or a Mentor to help you go to the next level? Successful business women often have both. I have had several mentors throughout my career and of course I have a Coach. It is not and either /or it is a both/and. You can learn more about coaching here http://jeancaton.net/coaching/ Let’s take a look at the role of a mentor.
Who needs a mentor? If you want to be successful you do. Aspiring entrepreneurs, successful businesswomen, those just starting out, and anyone who wants to be a career confident woman or man can benefit from having mentors.
Successful women frequently credit a mentor with helping them advance in their career. In a poll by CareerWomen.com 64% of the respondents indicated they have a formal or informal mentor.
Chances are we all have had a mentoring relationship of some type. Many of us are mentors to others. I am fortunate to have identified mentors throughout my career who have generously shared with me business contacts, resources, tools, and tips that have enhanced my clinical, corporate and entrepreneurial success. My transition from a career of over 20 year in big business to owner of a small business was supported by numerous mentors.
How Does a Mentor Help:
From the Greek Classics to the modern business world – the description of Mentor, a character in Homer’s Odyssey, from which we derive the term mentor, provides insight into the mentoring relationship. Homer’s character Mentor is a person of deep trust, a wise old man, and an elder who instills knowledge and guides one to find the answers he seeks. In the modern world, a mentor does essentially the same thing. A mentor can provide advice, facilitate networking with key contacts, accelerate progress on the learning curve, help you navigate the organization’s culture, guide decision-making, and be a source of feedback and motivation. Perhaps some of the most beneficial roles of a mentor are to empower, inspire, and believe in you and your success potential. More about selecting and working with a mentor in a future post.
