Most business professionals can attest to feeling confused, overwhelmed, or discouraged at least once. Understanding how to work through these problems is all that matters at the end of the day, but if you find yourself stuck in the same rut or falling further behind, then it is time to seek outside help. A mentor can provide you with useful tools and strategies to combat problems you find yourself unable to resolve on your own. Here below we have listed 5 signs that indicate you are in need of a mentor:
You are having difficulty networking
Denis Waitley once offered a simple, but valuable piece of advice: “If you’re not networking, you’re not working.” These 7 words to swear by in the business industry may come across as fairly uncomplicated, especially if a lack of effort to keep in contact with your networking groups is the core of this crisis. However, what steps do you take next when you do not already have those crucial contacts locked in and saved? The short solution to this predicament is allowing a person who has mastered the art of turning contacts into clients to show you how.
You're missing deadlines
Remember that project due yesterday that you didn’t do? Unfortunately, so does your employer. Every now and then, it’s okay if a due date slipped through the cracks. Listen, you’re human, and sometimes unexpected life circumstances outside of your work will occur. The question you need to ask yourself is if this is a recurring issue. If the answer is yes, then you might need an outside party, such as a mentor, to help you figure out why you keep missing important deadlines. Thankfully, mentors can help guide you through the process of fixing this dilemma.
You constantly feel discouraged and unmotivated
Sometimes we get out of bed in the morning and are not in the mood to show up to work and give it our all. On the other hand, if this is how you feel every day, it is bound to eventually have a negative impact on your performance. Having a mentor to provide you with positivity, support, and encouragement can make a huge difference not only at work but also in your life outside of the office. Being able to achieve milestones in business as well as the rest of your day begins and ends with keeping your chin up during tough times. Mentorship enables you to have the ability to have the right mindset even when it seems like those curveballs won’t stop coming in your direction.
You are falling behind your coworkers
Wait a second, two months ago your numbers were higher than any other employees at the office. What happened? Sometimes, you may easily be able to answer this question because you took time off for a week to go on vacation or were out sick. The problem though is when you actually don’t know why your progress has declined. Alternatively, the other aspect of falling behind in the business world is the lack of improvement. The clock is constantly ticking, which means the best practices used in business are too. It can be stressful at times to come to terms with the fact that what was working for you yesterday isn’t working as well today. A mentor can help you adapt to changes out of your control.
You are starting to question if you’re working in the wrong field
One of the best aspects of business is there is a wide range of fields to choose from. However, the downside of this is that it takes a few tries to learn which field is the right one for you. Some people find the perfect fit for them on the first try, while others have to experiment or, “test the waters,” to know what suits them the best. If doubts of uncertainty as to whether the career path you chose was the right choice, you might need to reevaluate. Mentors are adept at providing clarity to their mentee’s internal conflicts. Having second thoughts about your career path is not the end of the world, especially when you confide in a mentor to help with the decision-making process.
Whether you checked off one or all five of the signs above, a mentor is available to help. Mentors can walk you through the most efficient and effective methods for combatting these problems as well as provide you with further insight on how to troubleshoot similar conflicts in the future. Here at The Mentor Method, we pair each individual with a mentor we believe is the best match for whatever crisis they are battling.