Did you have a mentor at the beginning of your professional chiropractic career?
If you did, it’s highly likely that you are grateful for the guidance and support that your mentor provided and you still keep in touch.
Having a strong chiropractic mentor goes beyond meeting every once in a while for coffee. In an ever-evolving health care environment, a mentor can help you navigate the field and better understand how to help out individuals from all walks of life.
Your mentorship will likely be an ongoing relationship that is tailored to your specific needs. You will learn how to develop new skills while polishing existing ones, have a better understanding of the best chiropractic practices, and be challenged to go above and beyond to better the everyday lives of people through health and wellness.
Ready to look for a mentor? Here’s what you need to keep in mind before getting started.
Seek out the right match
Finding the right mentor doesn’t mean cold messaging practitioners on LinkedIn in the hopes that someone will reply. According to Mark Sanna, DC, successful mentorships must be good matches. Think of the process as being like online dating. The mentee and mentor will give and take their time and energy together over a long-term period and, as such, must have compatible personalities.
Don’t be discouraged if it takes time to find a mentor who is the right fit for your needs. Do your research and network as much as you can rather than rush into things.
Understand your commitment
Once you’ve found your mentor, you have to commit to the relationship. Working with a mentor is a long-term process, often over a specific time period, such as six months to a year. You’ll address the issues, problems and challenges you face with the help of your mentor, who has the tools and knowledge you need to succeed.
In order to make the most out of your mentorship together, commit to your success. Set goals for yourself and focus on doing whatever it takes to achieve them. While you work to reach your goals, you’ll need to document your progress and thoroughly evaluate the process and its results. This will allow you to share your progress with your mentor who can help you with further evaluation.
If you’re struggling to reach a specific goal, your mentor may be able to provide useful techniques that you can implement or help you re-evaluate your process. They’ll be equally as excited to celebrate any major milestones you have hit too, as every step forward brings you and your practice, closer to success.
Become a chiropractic mentor
Ready to pay it forward to the next generation of chiropractors? Consider graduating from a mentee to become a mentor and help make a difference in another chiropractor’s career.
“Wait, am I really qualified to become a mentor?” If you’re doubting yourself and are not completely sold on the idea yet, Life Chiropractic College West rounded up how becoming a mentor allows you to inspire and leave behind a lasting legacy for future generations.1
Allow mentees to shadow you. These mentees crave real-world work experience and are ready to commit the time and energy necessary to reach their goals. By shadowing you, they will be able to learn techniques and skills that will allow them to succeed.
Ultimately, being a mentor allows you to keep the legacy going and provide future generations with the knowledge and inspiration they need to find their purpose. Rise to the challenge.
Deborah Sweeney is the CEO of MyCorporation, a leader in online legal filing services for entrepreneurs and businesses, providing start-up bundles that include corporation and LLC formation, registered agent, DBA, and trademark and copyright filing services. She can be contacted through mycorporation.com or on Twitter @mycorporation.
Reference
1 Life Chiropractic College West. “Be the Mentor You Wish You Had.” https://lifewest.edu/be-the-mentor-you-wish-you-had. Updated April 2018. Accessed April 2018.
