Leaders are Teachers, too

  Communications Management   Talent Management   PM Network  

There's no better method for a person to learn and perfect a craft than by having a mentor guide them along the way. The increased worldwide interest and growth in project management has sparked an unprecedented need for mentors in the field. And many companies and organizations, as well as PMI chapters, are stepping in to help fill that need. But the demand for capable and willing mentors appears to outstrip the supply.

I’d like to encourage you to consider adding mentoring to your toolbox of skills. You’ll find great benefits in taking on the role. Here are some of the most noteworthy:

Discover the rewards of helping others. There’s no greater satisfaction than giving to others in a way that helps them help themselves—and then, in turn, help others.

Pick up new skills. I may have learned more from teaching others than I have from doing things myself. When you handle tasks yourself, there’s only so much knowledge you can gain from the limited environments within which you work. But when you’re teaching others, many more challenges can emerge. Figuring out how to deal with those issues can help mentors sharpen and finetune their own skills.

Make new friends and colleagues. One of the perks of mentoring is that you can often develop closer business relationships and meet people with whom you otherwise would not have had …

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