Have you ever approached a crossroads in your career and
weren’t sure which path to take next? Or maybe you were struggling—with no
luck—to gain more confidence and visibility in your job. If you were fortunate enough to have a mentor at these critical
junctures, there’s a good chance you gained valuable insights into the best
solutions and smartest next steps. In fact, 75% of executives in a poll by the
Association for Talent Development said that a mentor had been critical in
helping them ascend to their current position.
Mentoring includes imparting wisdom that the mentor has
gained through a lifetime of business and personal experience. We reached out
to members on LinkedIn and asked them to share some of the best advice they’d
received from mentors throughout their careers. Here’s what they had to say:
·
Approach
life with an unwavering set of core values. Integrity is the most important. --
David Almonte, CPA, CGMA
·
It’s
okay to tell a client, “I don’t know. I’ll figure out the answer and get back
to you.” -- Ralph T. Shinn, CPA
·
There’s
always going to be an excuse not to do something, whether it’s work, family,
school. If you want to make real change, then you have to take a risk. -- Eric
Butts, CPA
·
Don’t
look for a job. Look for a customer for your services. -- Tom Quinn, CPA
·
Tell
the financial and operations story, not just the numbers. -- Lucinda Coffman,
CPA
·
As
Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Failure
is the key to learning and learning is the key to success. -- David Almonte,
CPA, CGMA
·
Sometimes
you have to say “no,” particularly when your to-do list might limit your
effectiveness. -- Richard Jones, CPA
If you don’t have one yet, you’ll find that a
mentor has similar insights to offer, as well as specific ideas that suit your
unique needs. The AICPA is piloting an Online Mentoring Program, a
simple-to-use tool available for free to AICPA members.
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