Training Wheels: A Candid Guide To A Career In Business

---

1. Predictable results.

It goes without saying that as a mentor, you're regarded as an expert in your field or area of responsibility. But it's one thing to know what you're doing; it's entirely another to be able to clearly explain what you know--and to be willing to take the time to do it. Forget the jargon, the acronyms, and the buzzwords. Being clear when you communicate the lessons you've learned, or the strategies or guidance you're offering, is essential, as is your level of desire to communicate the intricate details in a way that makes sense and that your mentee can understand and learn from.

Being a mentor means making an important, serious commitment to someone, so give your mentee--and the process--the respect he or she deserves. Show your faith in your mentee's abilities and in the process by preparing for each mentoring session. This isn't a stream-of-consciousness deal or a "go-ahead-and-pick-my-brain" process. Yes, it's important for your mentee to actively participate and even take the lead in these sessions.

3 Ways to Figure Out If There’s a Market for Your Business Idea

But you should ask your mentee what topics or subjects he or she wants to talk about beforehand, and once you know, you should outline the key points you want to focus on ahead of time, and have a plan ready for imparting your details in an effective and expedient way. Your mentee must feel comfortable approaching you for advice or consultation; however, he or she must keep your availability and your schedule in mind.

2. Drama-free collaboration.

So, it's good policy to establish a set day and time for regular sessions or meetings. In this hurry-up-and-make-it-happen world, it's important to be prepared and make the most of the time you've got with your mentee. You owe that to him or her, to the process, and to yourself. And once these time parameters are established, you must keep your commitments wholeheartedly and be ready to listen well and with an open mind, along with providing counsel and advice.

Any questions that aren't addressed can lead to concerns and problems, so you owe it to your mentee to be candid and straightforward with him or her. Dispense with formalities and really help facilitate an open, even lively dialogue--a give-and-take--and don't beat around the bush in offering your constructive feedback, good and bad.

Turn to your clients. If you have even a tiny handful of customers, they may be your best source of candid feedback on whether your product or service idea is appealing.

RevTrax in New York City offers technology that makes it possible for retail clients to measure how their digital promotions are affecting in-store sales. After winning early clients such as Jackson Hewitt and Walgreens, chief operating officer Seth Sarelson and his co-founders paid close attention to cues from such customers to assess the market for their technology.

In response to feedback from one client, RevTrax expanded from providing data only on the results of affiliate marketing to many forms of digital marketing, such as email marketing. The company, founded in , now has grown to more than 60 employees. She will often ask such customers what they think of a new brush before rolling it out.

His mentor, Bill Bindley, had previously launched Bindley Western, a major drug distributor acquired by Cardinal Health.

Burke paid attention and moved into that niche, quickly finding customers. Dina Belenko Photography—Getty Images. Your manager will then have a chance to solve the issue before it becomes a real problem.

Careers guidance at school: how to make it work for your students

No manager wants a good employee to leave over a problem the manager didn't even know existed, or to find out about a giant roadblock and then learn that the entire team knew about it for months. Managers want employees who aren't there just to collect a paycheck.

Enthusiasm, passion, engagement, positivity--it doesn't matter what you call it, managers want employees to show it in the workplace. According to Gallup, about two-thirds of your colleagues probably aren't engaged at work , so you can really set yourself apart here.

Develop careers content in all subjects

Managers want employees who treat their job as part of a career. Professional employees are always trying to improve their skills and increase their value, while serving as role models for others in the field. It's your manager's responsibility to help you grow as a professional, but they can't do it all for you.

• Hannah (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
• Using Civilian Records for Genealogical Research in the National Archives
• Play Therapy with Traumatized Children
• Dann machen Sie doch gefüllte Auberginen!: Geschichten und so (German Edition)
• String Quintet C Major Op.29 - Score
• The Art and Science of Visualization: Your Unseen Power