Mentorship in Project Management: Why Having a Mentor Matters
Navigating the world of project management can sometimes feel like steering through a storm, or herding a lot of cats. There's so much going on with team dynamics, endless tasks, and of course those looming deadlines. As a project manager, having a mentor can be the support and guidance you need to excel in your career. Here are four key reasons why I think getting a mentor matters for your project management career.
Accelerate Skills
One of the biggest benefits of mentorship in project management is the way it speeds up your learning. Newer project managers get the opportunity to learn directly from someone who’s been there, and who has faced those real-life challenges of a project. Seasoned project managers can bounce ideas off their mentor or gain valuable advanced advice from their mentors.
TIP: Set up regular check-in sessions where you can discuss topics with your mentor, including ongoing projects and any roadblocks you're facing. Take the initiative to book calls, plan an agenda and be ready to discuss solutions.
Enhance Problem-Solving Skills
Problems and project management go hand in hand. Having a mentor means you have a seasoned problem-solver to help you think through solutions. This not only helps in tackling immediate project issues or questions but also sharpens your own problem-solving skills for the future.
TIP: First try to come with solutions on your own, and then discuss your approach with your mentor. This will help you start to think like a leader and take initiative to contribute some value as well. Discussing the solutions with your mentor can help provide a deeper understanding of different problem-solving techniques to apply to your projects.
Build Stronger Connections
Mentorship fosters a sense of community within your network. When you feel supported and know you have a mentor you can turn to, not only are you gaining valuable and practical skills but you are expanding your network outside of just your team.
TIP: Who should be your mentor? You could choose a mentor that reflects your shared skills or strengths, or you could choose a mentor that excels where you have weaknesses. I recommend usually that your mentor be someone other than your manager, to allow you to see a different perspective. In fact, it might be very insightful to find a mentor on a vastly different specialty or team as you, or someone in another company that you respect.
Potential for Leadership Growth
If you’re a project manager looking to climb the corporate ladder or get that next promotion, a good mentorship can provide a direct line for you to develop leadership skills, confidence and other project management practices.
TIP: If you and your mentor are on the same team, you could ask your mentor if you can lead a project under their guidance. If you’re not on the same team or same company, as a mentee you should start applying what skills you learn in your mentorship in your day-to-day project work.
Key takeaway overall:
As a mentee, you’re going to have to put IN what you want to get OUT of the mentorship, it’s a two way street, and the mentor is not there to purely dole out guidance or be a sounding board. Be prepared to come to your meetings with solutions and actions that you think will matter in your project (and why), ask questions about what your mentor did to grow their career, probe deeper into some business topic or skill you want to develop, etc.
Tell us your mentorship story - have you had a mentor that really changed your career outlook or helped you?
Related Resources:
Are you facing challenges with your current project and program management structure? Let's turn those obstacles into opportunities. Reach out, and let's explore how I can help you streamline processes, boost efficiency, and achieve your goals!
Feeling overwhelmed by daily stress? Take control and reclaim your peace with this FREE Weekly Planner! Organize your tasks, set your priorities, and find more time for what matters most. Click here to download your free planner now and start transforming your week!
Are you a project manager looking to connect with like-minded project management professionals, network virtually, and gain project management knowledge in the process? Join the FREE Connected PM Group today!
