A robust amount has been written about the benefits a mentor can have on your career and how to find one. Unfortunately, this key relationship can occasionally run its course and a change is needed. How do you recognize when it is time to fire your mentor?
๐๐๐๐ค ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ฌ๐ฆ. Passion matters. Great mentors bring passion to what they do and, in particular, to helping you. They will enthusiastically engage with you to brainstorm, troubleshoot, advise, guide, facilitate, network, etc. If that passion wanes, it may be time for a change.
๐๐จ๐จ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ . While mentors should be cheerleaders, they canโt do it blindly. You need a mentor who will tell you difficult truths, to help you grow and thrive. They should encourage you to push yourself forward, while being aware of your shortcomings and exploring how to overcome or accommodate them.
๐๐ง๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐. Mentors tend to be enthusiastic about mentoring others. However, enthusiasm isnโt enough (if it was, I would be a Jedi). If you arenโt getting effective advice, it may be time to step away from the relationship.
๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฌ. You often find a mentor at your place of work, someone senior who can help guide you. On occasion, a situation arises where what is best for you may not be best for the company. Or for the mentorโs career, for that matter. A true mentor will always ensure their advice is only about you, even if it means helping you find success somewhere else.
๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐๐. When circumstances change, itโs time to change your mind. Perhaps youโve reached a point in your career where you have outgrown your existing mentor, or have changed focus somehow and different advice is needed. Regardless of what the change in circumstances is, a mentor that has enthusiastically and effectively guided you thus far may no longer be right for what comes next.