Why I Don't Want A Single Mentor
This past month, LinkedIn asked some of its major influencers to talk about the #mentor that has shaped their careers. As a college kid, mentors are something that our teachers and coworkers push us to have. We are encouraged to go to meetups and events with the sole purpose of finding that one mentor who will open doors like no other. But the concept of a mentor has grown to have many different definitions. I think one of the reasons why I have always brushed off comments that I needed a mentor were because my definition included one main mentor that has a disproportional amount of influence over my career. Reading the articles from the major influencers has unveiled a completely new definition of mentorship.
“The Dress” Moment
So my friends and I are fans of the TLC show, Say Yes to The Dress. One of the biggest issues women have while trying on different wedding dresses is that they don’t feel like they have “the dress” moment. Basically, it’s the inherent feeling that this is the right choice for you, a moment without any doubt. One of the reasons why I feel like I can never say I have an official mentor is because I don’t have “the dress” mentor. In the words of Hootsuite’s CEO, Ryan Holmes,
“I was picturing this Mister Miyagi type of relationship that ultimately changes your life and your perception around life”.
In today’s age, where millennials are spending less time at a single company, I have many people who are influencing my career. Each of these people has had different levels of influence and I don’t feel like any of them have had “the mentor” moment. And that’s a good thing.
Everywhere
I prefer to have multiple mentors because I like to be influenced by many different types of people. My favorite LinkedIn Mentor author was Robert Herjavec. In his final statements he told young people to
“Stop the ‘will you be my mentor?’ emails and start being present to embrace the learning opportunities all around you.”
I know far too many college kids that send out these emails to big names in business, praying for just a half hour to talk with the person. All the while, they are meeting hundreds of people with great advice and passing on the opportunity to capitalize on their generosity. The biggest advantage to my approach is that you are able to hear multiple methodologies and opinions. An entrepreneur and a financial analyst are going to have very different tactics to correct systemic issues, but both should be considered and analyzed as a young adult.
I personally believe the ultimate goal of a mentor should be to help grow the mentee into a greater version of herself. I find too many mentors focus on trying to make a mini version of them, disregarding any of their mentee’s specific strengths or weaknesses. Self-awareness is key in both situations. As a current mentee to many people, I need to know my strengths and weaknesses to understand how their wide variety of advice can enhance my career. Lastly, I need to thank them. Regardless of magnitude of influence, each person has pushed me to become a better businessperson and woman. So without further ado, thank you.