There are many reasons why it is appropriate to name this post in this manner: 1) my good friend wrote a marketing book with the same title; and 2) this particular concept is very true. Whether you like to say, “show your love,” “pay it forward,” or any similar maxim, taking part in a program of giving back will be extremely beneficial to your career.
The impetus for today’s post comes’ from a weekend where I was fortunate enough to volunteer my knowledge to both Social Media Weekend and a program by 20/20 Shift called #MoreThanCode as well as meet my MAIP mentee in person for the first time. Granted, all of these encounters bring forth all of the feels, but more importantly, there are a number of career benefits to being a mentor.
Skill Enhancement
As a mentor, you are there to help your mentee brush up on, learn about or otherwise gather necessary information. However, a funny thing happens when you openly disseminate your own knowledge: you have a brand new opportunity to learn something new yourself. When are in an industry for a significant amount of time, it is often beneficial to experience a new or different perspective. In addition, working with individuals from different backgrounds and with different personality types is important to any and everyone’s success in a world that is both diverse of person and of thought. Do. Not. Forget. About the importance of diversity.
Developing and Bolstering Community
There is another saying that is applicable when getting what you give, and it is, “it takes a village.” By helping others at your job, or in your industry, or in any other definition(s) of your community strengthens every member within. Hoarding knowledge is not sustainable for any one person, much less a group of folks. Partaking in the act of driving the education of those around you is an important way to display that you actively consider and strive towards growth and success.
Boosting Your Profile
It is inherently human for a person to display their appreciation to those who help them succeed (yes, even in the business world). This simple amplification gives you the credibility that makes those who you presently or potentially will with feel more confident that you can do a particular job. Subsequently, everyone’s growth is predicated, to some extent, on the referral of others. Thus, it would behoove us all to lend our knowledge for those who genuinely need it, in a controlled environment. Worrying about someone taking or stealing that which you know is generally counterproductive because, no matter what, whatever you put out will, at some point, come right back to you.
