Undoubtedly mentoring is on the rise, with 67%** of businesses seeing an increase in productivity due to the process. However, a recent survey has shown for some, they’re held back from taking the leap into mentoring due to a lack of confidence or belief in their abilities.
Ed Johnson, Founder and CEO of world-leading and global mentoring platform, PushFar, takes a look at the key traits of strong mentors.
Trust
First and foremost, the most important part of what makes a good mentor is trust. Everything else will always be secondary in the mentoring process as without this, as it is impossible to have a truly open and honest dialogue between mentor and mentee. Trust is the foundational pillar which shows mentees that they have their best interests at heart.
Compassion
After trust, it’s compassion. It is crucial to remember that a good mentor will always acknowledge the fact that during a mentoring it is ultimately two humans talking, and so compassion is essential in maintaining the human connection throughout the experience. Mentors differ from teachers and so there shouldn’t be a power dynamic present, where somebody is trying to teach, and somebody is simply listening. It is a two-way conversation where contribution from both sides is equally important.
Experience
Good mentors are created from experience, but this doesn’t have to reflect length of time in a role. Reverse mentoring, where a junior member of the team offers their experiences to more senior members can be equally as important.
Data shows that 39% of people would consider becoming a mentor, however a great deal of people are being held back due to imposter syndrome and feeling like they wouldn’t have anything to offer. 28% of people say they dont have confidence to mentor someone ese, and almost 1 in 5 say they don’t know what advice they could offer.
The mentoring cycle, which sees someone being mentored and then going on to mentor others is extremely powerful. It can provide encouragement that not only can anyone benefit from mentorship, but they can also offer something as a mentor themselves.
Vision
Another key trait in a good mentor is the ability to see the journey their mentee could take. Mentees may or may not have their own ideas about how they would like to progress, but what is important is that the mentor is there to either help envisage that journey with them, offering insight and guidance to help them achieve their goals.
Reflection
Reflection is absolutely crucial in the mentoring process and it is really important that a mentor is able to do this continuously throughout the process. There are two steps to this: Self-reflection as a mentor, and reflection on mentee progress.
A good mentor will be able to reflect throughout the journey and identify if things need changing or tweaking at any point to ensure the mentee is receiving the best possible experience.
Ed commented, “It is so important that we continue to reflect and evaluate what makes a good mentor in the mentoring community.
“Research shows that so many people who have received mentoring go on to mentor others and it is therefore essential that good practice is in place to ensure that it is always passed on to the next person in the cycle. By continuing to look at what works and what doesn’t, mentors can only become better and more effective.”
If you’re looking for career progression tips and tricks or are on the hunt for a mentor to reach your professional goals, visit www.pushfar.com for further information.
Featured Photo by Razvan Chisu on Unsplash.