What do you do if your decision-making mentor lacks key attributes?

1 Recognize Limits

Recognizing the limitations of your mentor is a crucial first step in addressing the issue. Just as decision-making involves assessing the strengths and weaknesses of various options, you must evaluate your mentor's capabilities with a clear eye. Acknowledge that no one is infallible, and even mentors have areas where they may not excel. Identifying these gaps allows you to understand what specific attributes are missing and how they impact the guidance you're receiving. This self-awareness is essential in deciding whether to seek additional sources of mentorship or to adjust your expectations and learning strategy accordingly.

2 Seek Alternatives

Once you've identified the gaps in your mentor's skill set, consider seeking alternative sources of guidance. This doesn't necessarily mean you should sever ties with your current mentor. Instead, look for additional mentors who complement your primary mentor's weaknesses. By diversifying your sources of advice, you can form a more rounded perspective on decision-making. Engage with professionals from different backgrounds, read books on the subject, or join forums and workshops where you can learn from a variety of experts.

3 Enhance Skills

While mentors are valuable, ultimately, your decision-making skills are yours to develop. Take proactive steps to enhance your abilities by practicing critical thinking and analytical skills. Engage in exercises that challenge your problem-solving capabilities, such as case studies or simulation games. Self-education is a powerful tool; utilize online courses, webinars, and literature to broaden your knowledge base. By actively seeking to improve your skills, you reduce the reliance on any single mentor and empower yourself to make robust decisions.

4 Honest Feedback

Communication is key in any mentoring relationship. If you feel comfortable, provide honest feedback to your mentor about the areas where you feel they could offer more support or insight. Constructive criticism can be beneficial for both parties; it allows your mentor an opportunity to grow and provides you with a chance to articulate your needs more clearly. Approach the conversation with respect and focus on how the relationship could be mutually beneficial with some adjustments.

5 Realign Goals

Sometimes, a mentor's lack of certain attributes may signal that it's time to realign your goals and expectations. Consider what you truly seek from the mentorship and whether your current mentor can meet those objectives with some changes to the dynamic. It may be that your goals have evolved, or that the mentor's strengths can be applied in different ways than you initially expected. Adjusting your goals to fit the reality of the situation can often salvage a mentoring relationship that seems lacking at first glance.

6 Move Forward

Ultimately, you might decide that it's best to move on from a mentor who doesn't meet your needs. This decision should come after careful consideration and attempts to address the situation. When moving forward, take with you the lessons learned from this experience. Use them to inform your selection of future mentors and to refine your approach to decision-making. Remember that each interaction offers value, even if it's not in the way you anticipated, and that self-reliance in decision-making is a strength you can continue to build upon.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?