You may have heard the advice that it’s good to have a coach or a mentor.\u00a0 But beyond that, it can be confusing.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 What should I expect?\u00a0 Who should I approach?<\/p>\n
To start with, let me explain the difference between a coaching and mentoring relationship.\u00a0 With a mentor, you’re looking to follow the path that someone else has successfully navigated, perhaps who can even open doors for you.\u00a0 A coach, on the other hand, focuses more on your<\/span> specific goals, bringing out your best clarity and motivation from within yourself.\u00a0 Sometimes the two roles are combined to various degrees.<\/p>\n If you’re looking for a mentor, the keys are:<\/p>\n But given that each person’s journey on this planet is somewhat unique, you might argue that no one else has taken your specific path.\u00a0 If that’s really true, then go hook up with a coach who can help you to discover the new territory.<\/p>\n But for many people, there’s aspects<\/span> of their life which are quite similar to others.\u00a0 Perhaps right now you’re just out of school, attempting to create a new career in the performing arts when times look bleak.\u00a0 Stated that way, there’s plenty of other people who have experienced the same thing, and some of them have succeeded despite the challenges.<\/p>\n Perhaps you’re also struggling to find the right balance between work, family, and spirituality.\u00a0 So look around:\u00a0 Are there any people who have the kind of balance that you’d like to have?<\/p>\n Perhaps you’d like to make a career change, into a new area in which you have less experience.\u00a0 Who has that experience, and has made the kind of jump that you’re looking for?<\/p>\n I’m sure you see, then, that the role of the mentor depends very much on where you are in your life right now.\u00a0 That will change in a few years, so perhaps you’ll be looking for mentoring in a different area then.\u00a0 So seek out someone different at that point.<\/p>\n How do you hook up with a mentor?<\/p>\n Most mentor relationships aren’t paid, although there are some “barter” arrangements where expertise might be traded for expertise.\u00a0 And although you might well end up being a friend of your mentor for life, make sure to bring the formal mentoring relationship to a graceful and appreciative close when you’re feeling less need for the constant advice.\u00a0 It would be terrible for a valuable mentor to feel guilty about not having time to meet with you any more, especially after they’ve been of such great help for you.<\/p>\n Where would you need to be mentored at this point in your career?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
\n