by Corissa Leveille I @Cori_Lev
I have always been a stubborn individual and I never thought that having a mentor would benefit me in anyway.
Well I was WRONG!
Over the past year I have slowly begun to learn the importance of mentorships and with that I have come across a few truths about what it actually means to have a mentor:
Truth #1: Anyone can be your mentor
Yes it is great to have a mentor in your desired field of work because ultimately they will be able to help you navigate the procedures of your profession. In my instance this could mean dealing with essential requirements necessary to become an architect such as the Intern Development Program (IDP) and the Architectural Registration Exam (ARE). I have an excellent mentor who helps me navigate through the aforementioned registration process and other architectural snafus – Dan Pitera (Executive Director at the Detroit Collaborative Design Center).
It is also important to know that just because someone has nothing to do with your field of study doesn’t mean that they can’t offer some very sound advice. With Challenge Detroit, I have two built in mentors – Shelley and Deirdre. Are they architects? No. Can they contribute to my future development, personally and professionally? Absolutely!
Truth #2: The more the merrier
Formally I would say I have three mentors: Dan , Shelley and Deirdre. Informally I would say I have 100+.
This is because, much like Truth #1, anyone in your life can provide you with support and all of those voices should not be taken for granted. So if you ever say “well I already have a mentor, so I don’t need another one” you are essentially preventing future growth and development.
Truth #3: A true mentor will ask hard questions
If your mentor isn’t making you think hard about what you want to do with your life, then find another one [see #2]! Mentors are supposed to call you out on your crap, tell you when you seem to be heading off track and help to gently guide you back in the right direction [note the use of “gently” – if your mentor is just downright mean and tells you what to do, find another one]
Truth #4: A GREAT mentor will always be there for you
While a True mentor steers you in the right direction, a GREAT mentor is there in a pinch. I am extremely fortunate that I have a phenomenal mentor who will check in when I am sick and will offer to give me feedback while out of town. These mentors are one-in-a-million, so make sure you treat them that way and give them all of the respect and support that they have given you. [see #5]
Truth #5: Give back what you receive
This is the most important Truth because it acknowledges truths 1-4 but in reverse!
It is great to have the ability to rack someones brain at a scheduled time every month, but you have to remember that they are taking time out of their day to help YOU, so you better be able to give back that same time commitment for them when they need support. If they are available at anytime of day for a phone call, then so should you. If they are willing to give you advice on your work, then you better do the same.
This notion was actually portrayed rather nicely in our most recent Challenge Detroit outing at the Matrix Theatre Co in Southwest Detroit. Their current running production – Collected Stories – tells a story of a mentorship between a writer and her student. In one particular scene, the writer expresses her feelings about how the student did not give her feedback on her most recent story and that this made her very upset because she had put in a lot of time to support the student and was not receiving the same support. Again, going back to #1, just because you started off as the Mentee doesn’t mean that you can’t provide valuable support and knowledge to your Mentor, so if they ask for advice you better be willing to give it.
So as a note to my former self and to anyone who thinks having a mentor is a waste of time –
“Quit pretending that you know everything and appreciate the motivational tool that can be found in not wanting to let someone else down.”