Mentoring and Career Counselling
Did you know that I mentor people a lot? Mentoring and career counselling has been a part of my repertoire for almost three decades. It all started as a guest. One of my friends needed help in his recording agreement negotiations back in the 90’s. I agreed without hesitation. For a first-year law student it was an excellent opportunity. To see how things turn out in real. The negotiations went well and the deal got signed. While coming back from that meeting, he asked whether I could be more of assistance. My answer started a four-year journey that has lasted till these days.
What is it then about mentoring that fascinates so much? For me it’s the impact – a chance to make a difference. Your contribution may really mean something, to someone. If you won’t make an interference when asked, it may be that some promising occurrence never sees the light of day.
I like the idea that I haven’t really advertised my services. The mentoring just happens – without any cumbersome plug-ins. Something makes people contact me. Usually it is my own activity that becomes seen. And that in turn act as a trigger – a reason to make approach.
Consequently, this relates to passive promotion I like to talk so much. Setting your passive promotion up correctly enables unexpected, but also anticipated contacts in a way you cannot particularly reach. It leads to another conclusion of the matter – to become a mentor and mentoring itself probably need a reason. It is something you already have. For me, it’s the experience – especially nowadays.
If you want to deep-dive into that passive promotion concept, here’s a book for you. You can have it easily on Amazon.
It’s funny how this mentoring has changed its form over the years. In the early days, when the experience was non-existent, it was the energy and enthusiasm I could release for completion of the goals. It still is, but in a slightly different way. Like I said, my mentoring reflects a lot of experience and it’s the thing that makes it so valuable.
If you ever end up being someone’s mentor, the first thing you have to ask for yourself is the reason why. Why is this mentoring started in the first place. Then you probably understand your own value and it makes you able to act accordingly.
Also, there’s a personal dimension too – not everything takes place just because it is professionally justified, or that it is economically reasonable. No, I have a completely different starting point. I think many of my colleagues will approve this too. I need to hear that click. And that click can be anything. Sometimes it is music, sometimes some position that is present incorrectly – something that needs a fix. And yes – I love conversations. If you have something in mind, feel free to make an approach. You never know where it may lead you!