{"id":10977,"date":"2021-01-04T08:00:12","date_gmt":"2021-01-04T08:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.naylor.com\/associationadviser\/?p=10977"},"modified":"2020-12-22T18:17:46","modified_gmt":"2020-12-22T18:17:46","slug":"be-a-mentor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naylor.com\/associationadviser\/be-a-mentor\/","title":{"rendered":"Be a Mentor. Yes, You. Yes, Now."},"content":{"rendered":"

The following article is adapted from Amy C. Waninger\u2019s book,\u00a0<\/em>Network Beyond Bias: Making Diversity a Competitive Advantage for Your Career<\/em><\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

There is always someone, somewhere who needs to see a possible future version of themselves. For every person who has made it through school, out of poverty, beyond an illness or addiction, to the other side of bad choices, or into a profession, there are dozens of people who can’t see a path forward. Do you have a mentor\u00a0or role model? If so, what does that mean for you? If not, consider how might you accelerate on your own path if someone shows you the way.<\/p>\n

The more you know, the more you realize you <\/strong>don’t<\/em> know, and the less you realize you <\/strong>do<\/em> know. <\/strong>Wow. That’s a paradox, isn’t it? This tendency of our confidence to be inversely related to our competence is called the Dunning-Kruger Effect<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Imposter syndrome<\/strong><\/a>, the fear that everyone will find out you’re still \u201cfaking it,\u201d increases with our level of achievement and mastery of a subject. We often devalue the skills we’ve mastered because they’re easy for us<\/em>. News flash: Everyone didn’t learn what you did the moment you learned it. Spending time with someone who hasn’t learned it yet can be a great reminder of how far you’ve come. Doing so also <\/em>gives you an opportunity to share your knowledge for someone else’s benefit. Everyone wins.<\/p>\n

The more you give, the more you gain.<\/strong> I see it in my life every single day. Sure, there are wildly successful jerks. Just don’t be one of them. Putting good out into the world improves your self-esteem. When you “pay it forward,” other people are drawn to you. All those people you helped will celebrate with you when you make it big. As Dick Parsons\u00a0said in his 2016 interview with Fortune<\/em> magazine<\/a><\/strong>, “Be the person everyone wants to see succeed.”<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat If I Don’t Know Anything?\u201d<\/h2>\n

If it’s true that every person you meet knows something you don’t<\/a><\/strong>, then the reverse must also be true. Every person you meet doesn’t-know something you<\/em> know! What have you already accomplished? What skills or knowledge did you gain in the process? Have you taken any classes, read any books, or completed any projects? If so, challenge yourself to impart this knowledge on someone else. No more excuses!<\/p>\n

Start simple. Tweet\u00a0an article to share with your professional network. Read to a grade school class. Or recommend a good book, class, or podcast to a friend. Just like that, you’ve shared some knowledge!<\/p>\n

Be (a Little) Selfish<\/h2>\n

There are 7 billion altruistic reasons to be a mentor: one for each person on the planet. In case you’re not motivated by do-gooderism, I’ve compiled some\u00a0completely selfish<\/em> reasons to sign up to be a mentor:<\/p>\n