If the blind leads the blind, they both fall into a ditch – Japanese proverb. In this article, I will provide you with the ‘not-so-blind’ individuals one can follow for career success, sometimes, it’s not a mentor you need for the journey you are embarking on.
Zanele Maduna CA(SA)
Director at No-Valo Learning Centre
Need information on your career path?
If you are considering a new career path, perhaps the initial question should be: Am I the right fit for this career path? Avoid seeking mentorship before one has considered the path fit for self through assessments and job-shadowing, because through mentorship discussions one will be influenced based on the mentor’s personal experience.
Struggling with confidence in the drafted plan towards reaching your goals?
Others believe the presence of a mentor will assist in drafting a plan and assistance in implementing a practical plan towards a career goal. This may be true in other cases, however such traits are developed through a development programme designed by your coach.
Coaching is a developmental approach to working and interacting with self, your environment, and others. Coaching support is designed to help an individual understand themselves, their emotions and other challenges which affect their desired outcome. Once self-insights have been discovered, through coaching, one can attain practical strategies to help them feel more empowered to improve their effectiveness and achieve their desired outcome.
Need access to opportunities?
Some seek mentorship with the hope of obtaining access to new opportunities, should this be your case, it’s important to know that in as much as other mentors have access to the information about available opportunities, it’s not every mentor that can be a sponsor. A sponsor is an individual who has influence on access to the type of opportunities you might seek, the one that also has resources that will get you closer to your next step.
Still dealing with self-limiting beliefs?
Self-limiting beliefs are the beliefs we have about ourselves and others which prevent us from reaching our goals, most which are formed during childhood. It is worth noting that not all mentors are trained psychologists and through discussions, you might not be able to get to the root of your inability to progress.
In conclusion, a mentor plays an important role in one’s professional development journey and career success, but, it is important to always consider the season you are in and the type of individual/resources that will be most useful during that time. It is also imperative to remember that at the core, we are all different and a mentor might recommend the solutions that worked for them, yet these might not be fit for you. Ask yourself, in this moment, do I need a mentor, coach, sponsor or psychologist now?
Self-coaching model
Here is a self-coaching model you can use to determine the individual that will be most useful to you during each season of your life:
G – Goal: For this season of your life, what is your laser goal, what is the one goal that will bring the most change?
R – Reality: How far am I from this goal? What is in my way?
O – Options: Who is the right individual that can assist in moving me from my reality to my goal?
W – Will Do: What is the next best action I can commit to help move me closer to the goal?
