HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY TO BE A MENTOR?

Not only is mentoring one of the oldest pursuits in civilized history, but it’s one of the most satisfying. The word itself comes from Greek, and the practice dates back to the heyday of Greece’s roots as a civilization.
Mentoring allows the benefit of experience to pass from one person to another, cutting short the learning curve, serving both the mentor and protégé in the process. Mentoring can be long or short term, formal or informal, but the benefits last a lifetime.

What It Takes to Be a Mentor

As a mentor, you can help someone succeed by being a model for them. Mentoring also provides tons of satisfaction along with the opportunity for recognition as an expert in your field.

Do you have what it takes to be a mentor? The odds are high that you do. Take a look at the 3 qualifications of being a successful mentor.

1. Communication & Rapport. Because mentoring is an exchange of information, you need to be able to communicate your ideas, both verbally and non-verbally. My hostess in Greece got through to me. She got my attention and modeled what it looks like to experience a new culture. More lessons came later as she modeled them for me during the course of our remaining time in Greece. From the start, we understood each other despite the language/cultural/generational differences.
2. Experience. A good mentor can offer a protégé more than college courses through direct modeling and subtle methods, like book recommendations. Having a strong background can give you an advantage in the mentoring process. As someone with experience, you have a better perspective on what to do and what to avoid in real-world applications.
3. Passion. As an effective mentor, you must have not only experience but also love your job. You can’t expect to inspire a newcomer if you lack passion for your industry or your role in it. Working with a protégé can present an opportunity to make a difference in your industry…and mentoring can even renew your passion for what you do!

If you don’t see yourself possessing these qualities, take heart. The mentoring process allows mentors to develop along with their protégés. Areas where you may need to develop will come to light during the mentoring process, and with your experience in life, you can take action where needed.

The mentor-protégé relationship allows you to see your own work and ideas through a fresh pair of eyes. It’s a benefit to both of you. The odds are that you will learn what you don’t already know along the winding ancient road that is mentoring.