As a leader/manager, it’s up to you to lead, inspire, and manage your employees. It’s also your responsibility to coach and develop them, and to help them grow. You may even become a mentor for some. But who guides and supports you? Do you have a mentor?
It’s very important that you as the leader/manager know when and how to recharge your batteries. It’s also important that you have your own support network. Ideally, this network should consist of a mentor whose knowledge and experience can guide and teach you, as well as peers who can share with you their own experiences as you support one another. If you don’t already have such a support network, or if your current network could use some bulking up, it’s well worth your time to devote your energy to such a task.
So, who’s a good mentor candidate? It could be a (current or former) teacher or supervisor, or someone you met through a business or social connection. A mentor tends to be someone older, someone who has more knowledge (or different knowledge base) and more experience than you, so that you can benefit from their experience. This person should be able to teach, guide, and nudge you to stretch and challenge yourself, but not make your decisions for you.
A network of peers can consist of colleagues, (current or former) fellow learners, friends, or business acquaintances. These should be people who face similar challenges and have relevant experiences, making sharing and supporting one another of benefit. Keep in mind that building a network of supportive peers will take time, and maintaining it will require your efforts and energy. However, if done well, it can pay off tremendously.
Take the time to examine your current support network. How solid and varied is this network. Does it need to be expanded and/or strengthened? Do you have a mentor? How effective is your support network and your mentor? Remember that change is part of life, so if your network isn’t working like it should, make the necessary changes. If your mentor no longer offers what you need, consider asking someone else to fill those shoes. In order to be the best leader/manager, you have to take care of yourself first.
