A mentor is someone who has been in your shoes and is experienced enough to offer you insights that might not naturally come to you. A mentor can be your current manager, previous boss or someone you connected with at a networking event and has now become your go-to person for professional advice. However, the key is to understand that not every person who seems superior to you is fit to be your mentor. It’s important to find a mentor who understands you and your goals well.
Here are 5 essential qualities that you should look for in a person before putting your trust in them. These will also ensure a long and fruitful mentor-mentee relationship.
1. Has substantial experience: It’s not only important to just look for someone who has extensive experience, but for an individual who has relevant experience and expertise in your field so that they can share the right insights. This makes it easier for mentors to understand your challenges and offer viable solutions accordingly. For instance, if you are looking to build a career in writing, seek out a mentor who is a seasoned editor, a senior writer, a journalist or a published author. They know the craft well and can help you generate your own writing style, teach you how to articulate your opinions and offer constructive feedback so that you can improve.
2. Is a great communicator: The second most important trait to look for in a mentor is smooth communication skills. Your mentor should not only clearly express their ideas and opinions but also offer you proper attention when you are speaking. In other words, they must maintain a proper balance between expressing themselves and actively listening to what you have to say. At the same time, they should be empathetic, receptive to feedback on their plan of action, should be aware of non-verbal cues to ensure you are in a comfortable space and not holding back your ideas, and should offer actionable advice.
3. Devotes time to you: If the last conversation you had with your mentor was a week or two ago, it is time you switched to someone else. You require a mentor who is as committed to the process as you are. This means you both should engage in regular meetings and follow-ups to ensure your continuous growth and progress. In addition, they should be easily accessible and available by mail, texts, calls or in person. Now, this doesn’t mean that they have to go out of the way to immediately put their meetings on hold and respond to you, but should acknowledge your query and ensure they get back as soon as possible.
4. Constantly motivates and encourages: A lot of times, you win half the battle when a person shows trust in your capabilities and simply says ‘You can do it’. And this is exactly how you want your mentor to be – encouraging, motivating, and supportive. Their positive attitude can push you to keep your fears aside, take risks, and move out of your comfort zone. For instance, if your boss has asked you to lead a project but you are doubting your own potential, then your mentor needs to step in to motivate you and introduce you to your own strengths so that you can become the reason for the success of that project.
5. Has a strong network: Along with experience, it’s important for a mentor to have a wide network. An experienced individual who is well connected with industry experts can open several doors of opportunities for you as their words carry weight. Your mentor should be able to teach you how to network and take you to several networking events so that you can put your skills into practice. Once you have mastered the art of networking, growing and experiencing success is not going to be a challenge in any field. So, make sure that your mentor has connections that you can leverage to build your own network.