Hello my dear listeners, on this epissode of the podcast I want to talk to you about mentorship. I’m going to give you 7 qualities I look for in a mentor, why? Because this is going to help you whether you are on the lookout for one yourself or someone asked you to be their mentor and you don’t feel like you are qualified to be one.
These might be qualities you already have, you just haven’t discovered them yet. I hope this gives you the confidence to say YES to your potential mentee or help you in deciding on that special mentor you have in mind.
First of all, what is a mentor? Second Who can be a mentor? By definition, a mentor is an experienced and trusted adviser.
A Mentor will help you with his or her expertise and personal experiences. They will share with you things like how they overcame the same challenges you’re facing when they were in your position and so on. In other words, “Anyone” that has the knowledge you are looking for can be a mentor.
Here are top 7 qualities I look for in a mentor
# 1 – Commitment
Are they present when they talk to you, are they really giving you their time? Can you count on them for example: If you agree to spend time together every other week a mentor can demonstrate commitment by honoring the time allocated for those meetings.
# 2 – Listen effectively
As a mentee, you are probably looking for someone who sometimes just listens to your concerns and frustrations. At other times maybe what you want is to learn how she/he overcame a problem you’re facing. Listening is a powerful skill.
# 3 – Enthusiasm for sharing their expertise
Just as important as your mentor having expertise is them being willing to share it with you. Are they holding anything back expecting something in return? A great mentor is willing to give you advice because they really love sharing their hard-won wisdom with others.
# 4 – Respectful attitude
Great mentors don’t criticize you and treat you badly in front of others to prove a point. And if they do act in a less-of-a-respectful manner a great mentor will acknowledge their behavior was wrong and apologize authentically.
# 5 – Give Positive, honest and direct feedback
Equally important as being a respectful mentor, they take it to the next level when they give you tough love. A good mentor knows how to deliver feedback in a way that’s constructive, kind, and direct, and doesn’t shy away from being honest because they’re afraid of hurting your feelings. I don’t want a mentor to tell me what they think I want to hear. I want their honest feedback.
# 6 – Experienced and Knowledgeable
A mentor speaks from personal experiences and wisdom. Mentors listen to the concerns and challenges you may have with let’s say evaluating your success and failures. He/She may choose to share their understanding by discussing how they bounce back from a setback and lessons learned from the same experience. A great mentor also knows when to step aside and allow her mentee to learn independently.
# 7 – Generosity of Spirit:
This is essential in my opinion, a great mentor wants you to succeed, and he or she will actively support your success with words and action. A great mentor will never be envious or feel threatened by your growth; he or she will congratulate you on your triumphs and help you recover from your setbacks. My business mentor is amazing she challenges me to level up my game every time, also celebrates my wins.
These are key qualities that make a Great Mentor, in my opinion. I hope this helps you in your search as much as it has helped me. Getting a mentor for my business was the best decision I made! My progress has been slow, there’s this saying: “you get out of life what you put into it” – is that simple, and yet we make it complicated.
I’ll record an episode from a mentor’s point of view. Stay tune!
To be a great mentor you need to become a student for life! You teach what you want to learn and you learn what you want to teach! Become a Mentor and Mentee that’s when True greatness is achieved.
Mayi Lenz