098: The Invaluable Impact of Mentors, with Cindy Fairless

In this episode, I sit down with Cindy Fairless, a Sarto Master Facilitator, who passionately shares her extensive insights on the importance and value of mentors in career development. Cindy dives into how mentors can accelerate career growth by offering not just their expertise but also invaluable feedback, expanding your network, and pushing you to explore new opportunities outside your comfort zone. 

We also unpack some practical strategies for successfully finding and approaching a mentor, highlighting the need to identify individuals whose career paths and values align with your own aspirations. Cindy emphasizes the critical role of the mentee in driving the relationship, from setting clear goals to consistently engaging with their mentor. 

In addition, we touch upon the importance of having multiple mentors and how mentorship can foster a mutually beneficial dynamic, where both mentors and mentees grow from the experience. Through personal anecdotes, Cindy illustrates the rewarding nature of mentor-mentee relationships and how they can lead to unforeseen career trajectories and leadership opportunities. 

Key takeaways: 

• Mentorship offers multifaceted benefits including the sharing of expertise, confidence building, and expanded networking opportunities. 
• Mentees must take the initiative in the relationship, from seeking out potential mentors to setting clear agendas and regularly communicating. 
• Constructive feedback from mentors is crucial for professional growth and should be actively sought and applied by mentees.  
• Finding the right mentor involves aligning career goals, values, and work habits, often requiring a thoughtful and strategic approach. 
• Effective mentorship can significantly influence career paths, opening doors to new opportunities and leadership roles. 
• Both formal and informal mentorships are valuable, and multiple mentors can provide diverse perspectives and guidance. 
• Mentorship is a two-way street, benefiting both the mentor and mentee and contributing to a culture of continuous learning and development.  

Listen in as Cindy offers valuable perspectives and actionable advice to help you harness the full potential of mentorship for your career development. 

For more details and to learn about Cindy’s workshops or other workshops from the Sarto Leadership Group, please reach out to us: cindyfairless@sartolg.com.

https://sartoleadershipgroup.com/services/

Leadership Jam Sessions' Executive Producer, James Christie

When James is not busy leading commercial teams in the biopharmaceutical industry, you can find him behind the scenes orchestrating all that happens for his brainchild - The Leadership Jam Session Podcast. As our Executive Producer, James' background of more than 20 years in Marketing, Sales, and Training, combined with a passion for business and leadership education, have all inspired the very direction we take with delivering our content. James holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University.