MENTORING : IT’S NOT AS HARD AS YOU THINK

What comes to your mind when you hear the word mentor? Do you immediately imagine a man in a sharp suit, probably the CEO of a large company, with a fleet of exotic cars, and many degrees in the bag? Well, a mentor could be these things, but they also do not necessarily have to be these things. You can be a mentor too. Let me tell you how it is as easy as 1,2,3.

Mentoring starts with a mindset. You have to have the mentality of a mentor. What is the mentality of a mentor? You ask. A mentor’s mind is set to give and to teach. It is the willingness to help another person grow. It involves making yourself available to support and advise, by sharing from your wealth of relevant knowledge and experience.

Set goals and define expectations. There must be a proper definition of your expectations at the beginning of the mentoring relationship; this is to avoid any discrepancies that might want to arise in the future. Your mentee will also state their goals and what they expect of the relationship.

Take a genuine interest in your mentor and agree on a mode of operation. To be effective at mentoring, you have to get to know your mentee on a personal level. This will enable you to give them quality advice that would work for them, and not just some mediocre advice that you can dish out to anybody.

It is also imperative that you decide along with your mentor, the form you want the mentoring to take. This time is when you decide details like how often you meet, and where you meet.

Be a good listener and know when to give advice. Sometimes, your mentee wants to be heard; you should observe such times and not always feel inclined to give advice. You should be able to decipher when your mentee needs a sounding board and when they need your input.

Be forthcoming with your mistakes. One of the easiest ways to gain the trust of your mentee is by sharing your mistakes. It makes you relatable to them. Understanding that you are not perfect will put them at ease easier than any words you could speak to them. Sharing these mistakes also gives them the advantage of foresight. Having previous knowledge of these mistakes can help them avoid falling into the same traps you fell into.

Be accountable. You are as accountable to your mentee as your mentee is to you. When your mentee sees that you are committed, this pushes them to give back their best. Trust and accountability are the foundations of effective mentoring.

Lead by example. Your mentee is most likely moved by what they see in you, more than what they hear from you. If you want to be taken seriously, you have to act seriously. Being a good example,will help you gain the respect and admiration of your mentee.

I hope by now, you have been convinced that mentoring is not as hard as you think.

Do you have other easy tips on mentoring? Please share with us.