Why We All Need a PR Mentor

In the era of social media and virtual interactions, one would expect that PR professionals would be able to find all the information they need on the Internet. Surprise. It is not enough. Today, when the quantity of information has become overwhelming and the client needs are changing so fast, the human advice of a real mentor is more than ever something you cannot buy or replace.

Here are a few reasons why PR people should consider mentoring as a constant solid path to take them to the next step in their career:

1. Not in the books. The type of learning that comes from a mentor cannot be found in books. One the one hand, the market is changing so fast that no scholar can track all relevant trends, write them down and share them with students. On the other hand, no one would put market gossip, anecdotes heard over a glass of wine or public secrets in a book.
2. Learn fast. Another way to learn what you can’t find in books is to try and fail. Having a mentor can help you avoid many painful mistakes that are a part of any beginning.
3. Self-confidence boost. A real mentor would see the diamond in you and yet give you enough space to learn and grow. Having the trust and open door of a senior professional can often give you that particular shot of healthy self-confidence that you will much need next time you face a client in a tender.
4. Venting with an open heart. You cannot always open up your heart and discuss all professional issues that trouble you at work or at home. Having a mentor is a way to vent and confront your concerns, and to get valuable feedback on something that might not be as difficult to handle as you initially thought.
5. Confrontation. Even if you have a solution to your issue, it’s good to mirror your thoughts and confront your opinions with someone who has been there and has done than before.
6. Time for yourself. If there is one thing that we tend to forget in this fast-spinning corporate world is to sit down and reflect on why we do the things that we do and how we could do them better. Attending regular meetings with your mentor can offer you the right space and time to switch off, relax and reflect.
7. Network. We are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with. All throughout the human history leaders grew thanks to relying on a network of close contacts that they inherited or built for themselves.
8. CEOs need equals. In order to lift the profile of the PR profession overall, we need to gain the trust of corporate decision-makers. We need to become intimate trusted advisors for CEOs in order to make them think business in terms of communication, too. To do that, we need a mentor who can translate the senior corporate management mentality to PR consultants.
9. Advisors needed. Currently, PR agencies go through an inner transformation. PR account managers become more and more business consultants who need to understand the bigger scheme of things. A mentor can point you in the right direction to understand your client’s business in the wider context and thus provide real value-added PR advice.

In February, the PR Klub is opening the first PR mentoring program on the Czech market. Every PR advisor may have different professional needs. However, at a certain moment all our wishes converge towards one point where we need to share our concerns with someone who understands us and can bring light on our path. This is the moment when PR mentoring is coming into place. Its potential on the Czech market is just at the beginning.