We can all agree Covid-19 is a primary example of how fragile and complex the world is today. For a young Namibian professional willing to grow or aspiring to become an entrepreneur; surviving and making a success of this scarcely resourced globe is tough.
Getting a helping hand from someone like a mentor is something to consider. According to Statista, in 2020, the unemployment rate in Namibia amounted to approximately 20%. One wonders what the current unemployment rate is today.
During Covid-19 or post-Covid, companies across the globe are more likely to restructure their processes: invest more in technology and downsize people. This will lead to questions, who should be retrenched, why me, why not them, why not him or her? The world today is striding towards a knowledge-based economy.
As a young professional, harnessing your skillset is very vital; it limits the chance of you getting that regrettable retrenchment letter or perhaps increases the chance of you getting that promotion you’ve been dreaming of.
Acquiring such skills and knowledge can be a tough ask. Apart from investing your money and time on academic accolades, local proof shows that alone is not enough. Namibia finds itself with a lot of young graduates seating at home without employment insight. If you are lucky and have a job, do not stop the journey of self-development.
Finding a mentor is one big step towards that journey. A mentor can provide you with the necessary skills and tools to succeed and make you stand-out among rest. Let us define a mentor, according to the Oxford dictionary, a mentor is an experienced person who advises and helps somebody with less experience over a period of time.
However, a mentor can be anybody, it can be your friend, industry leaders, your successful father, big sister, your line manager, your local authority councillor, a successful businessman or woman, and even a spiritual leader may guide you to grow spiritually if that is your preference. Approaching a prospective mentor is smart and strategic.
Mentors have been there and done that, they’ve gone through the experience and challenges that you’re likely facing today, for instance, that job interview you’ve failed or your failed business. Mentors push you to learn and assist you in making the right choice, choices such as career paths that you didn’t know existed before.
Perhaps the most valuable aspect mentors have is the capability for them to introduce you to a whole different network of contacts and connections that you don’t have.
For example, if you’re aspiring to become an accomplished entrepreneur, your mentor may provide you with the necessary contacts. Contacts may range from affordable suppliers, local authority decision-makers, legal people and so forth.
These are important stakeholders that may affect your business positively or negatively. It is often said: “One of the ways to success is the number of contacts or connections you have and make,” sometimes, who you know or don’t know is the difference between making it on the ladder of success and becoming a mere spectator of life. Like the saying goes, “Life isn’t fair.”
Teachings and observations found from mentors are priceless. In most cases mentors do not charge any fee for the selfless services or time rendered to you, they do it because they see themselves in you, share the same core values, beliefs, ambitions and same purpose as you.
Mentors are unbiased; they will call you out on your wrongdoings. Mentors are result driven, if a mentor agrees to help a mentee, he or she will require you as the mentee to provide results that are satisfactory towards their standards, matching such standards is a sign of progression.
Being around your mentor builds confidence, he or she doesn’t necessarily have to tell you what to do, but just being around them gives you a different type of energy, and you begin to observe habits that are invaluable towards your growth. Imagine Bill Gates as your mentor, you would probably be overwhelmed with so much energy and drive to impress him. Mentors hold you accountable for your mistakes, they will advise you not to fall in the same traps as they have gone through before.
A mentor is there for you to learn the unknown and enlighten your thought process. Take a bold stand today and get a mentor, do not shy away from asking your prospective mentors to mentor you this year, they may provide you with life-changing tools that will help you excel on your path to success.
So, go out there and knock on as many doors as possible, one might open more doors for you.