What To Expect?
Do you want to mentor the right people for you? In today’s article, 5 ways how to be an amazing mentor for the right person. We will discuss the importance of being a mentor but also how you can be a quality mentor for the right person you are mentoring. This article is for coaches, leaders, managers and even parents who want to get the best out of someone they are mentoring. It’s a privilege to be able to mentor someone and I hope you gain the information you need to succeed.
What Is A Role Of A Mentor?
A mentor is someone who has gained knowledge and experience throughout their life. To then share that information with a mentee to help them succeed too. They will provide guidance, skills, emotional support and motivation to succeed.
A mentor will also clear the path for the mentee to follow without them having to struggle to find their way to achieving their goals. A mentor will help the mentee formulate plans, set goals, develop networks, and identify the best resources to learn from.
The role of a mentor is vast and a mentee can gain so much from having one. Learning from someone else’s knowledge and experience can help a mentee to progress so much faster and more efficient than if done all on their own.
Why You Can’t Be A Mentor For Everyone
I’ve always been someone who loves helping people and when I was young I was shocked when someone who clearly needed help won’t listen to the guidance on how to solve their problems.
In life, there are people who want solutions and people who want to dwell on their problems. There are people who relate to you and others don’t. There are people who like you and some you just annoy. Hopefully, you get the point that a mentor is not for everyone it’s for the right person.
When looking for a mentee to mentor. You have to find a mentee that wants to change and wants to listen to your message. Mentors should spend their time spreading their knowledge and experience to people who want to receive their message, not people who don’t.
Learn From The Best
To be a great mentor you first have to be a great mentee. When it comes to mentoring. The mentors with the greatest experience can teach the most valuable lessons. Life experience should not be taken for granted when becoming a great mentor.
By making sure you are the best mentor. You have to gain experience through theory and putting those theory’s to action and gaining the results you can teach others.
For mentees, it’s important to have the right mentor to provide you with the information you need. This doesn’t always mean they have a 50-year-old person it can be anyone who’s just further ahead of where you want to be.
Also being mindful that times change and what worked in the past might not work in the present. So having a mentor that’s five years ahead of you or a mentor that keeps adapting will allow the mentee to gain the best results.
5 Ways How To Be An Amazing Mentor For The Right Person
1.Take Time To Listen
The ability to listen more than you speak as a mentor is crucial for the success of the mentee. The reason being is that the mentee will have a goal in mind they want to achieve. If a mentor is just doing whatever they want. It will eventually cause conflict and the mentee will not listen to your instructions. By listening you help them to be heard but you can also find all the information you need to help someone. You just have to listen first.
2. Show You Care
Showing you care as a mentor helps build trust and respect with the mentee. You do this by being genuine and putting the other person first. The best way to achieve this is through your actions. Going above and beyond to make sure they have everything they need to succeed. A story that Cristiano Ronaldo always talks about is when his mentor Sir Alex Ferguson allowed him to take time away from football to go and grieve the passing of his father. There have been mentors in my own life who wouldn’t think to let you have time off to take care of personal issues. This goes to show the mentor cared about the individual and in return, Cristiano gave everything to his mentor.
3. You Have To Be Honest
Some people can find it hard, to be honest with someone if it will hurt their feelings. As a mentor being honest to your mentee is paramount to their success. As well as knowing what they’re doing right. They also need to know what they’re doing wrong. The feedback they need to receive is an honest review of where they are and what they need to move forward. By knowing your mentee you will know what tone of voice to use when you’re expressing your honest feedback. When you’re honest it creates uncomfortably in the short term but they will thank you in the long term.
4. Have A Clear Expectations
It’s important when mentoring anyone to have clear expectations, to begin with. This sets up the relationship boundaries, intentions and goals that each person needs to follow. If not done correctly then there is a high chance for misunderstanding, a lack of high performance and direction. I have witnessed both sides and setting a clear expectation changes everything in a positive light. It also weeds out people who are not a good match for your mentoring style, the vision you have for them and the working environment. So it’s a win-win for everyone. This means you work with the right people but also you can create an environment for success.
5. Understand That Everyone Is Different
When mentoring people you have to understand that everyone has different personalities, standards and upbringing. Treating everyone the same will allow only a selected amount of mentees to receive your mentorship in its best form. Adapting your approach to each person allows for an effective approach. Also understanding that people start at different levels. Some will need a lot of practice and some will pick it up quickly. Being patient to focus on their journey not comparing to what you think their journey should be.
A Final Word From Future Mindset
I hope you enjoyed today’s article, 5 ways how to be an amazing mentor for the right person. Being a mentor is a great responsibility to have. Seeing the development of another person through your guidance is one of the best feelings in life. I hope the article has helped you on your mentoring journey. If you need any help or guidance with mentoring you can contact me at adam@thefuturemindset.com
