Is it Time to Become a Mentor?
Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction - John C. Crosby
As you grow in your business career, you may find yourself gradually changing from the person searching for answers to the one who has the answers. Are you ready to pass some of that knowledge on to a promising newcomer?
At first glance it might seem a mentor-protégé relationship is one-sided. You’re effectively giving away your hard-won experience and asking little in return. A mentor can gain satisfaction from building a legacy however, as well as developing leadership skills and gaining prestige within the industry.
Some mentors are approached by potential protégés, but there is no reason why you can't seek one out. You may have a family member who is just starting out in business, or perhaps a former student or employee needs some encouragement and advice.
There are no hard and fast rules concerning how to conduct a mentorship. It can be informal, meeting once in a while over lunch or coffee, or formal, with frequent scheduled meetings. Discuss your mutual goals, and what type of communication and meeting style might work best for the both of you.
Some mentors like to assign tasks for their protégés to accomplish, using them as teaching aids, much like the way a coach might have a player learn different plays. At the very least these tasks, by having a deadline, can teach accountability. You may have your protégé shadow you at work, showing them how you manage your time and your team. Perhaps you can help your protégé expand his or her network if you are in a position to do so.
Sharing your expertise and experience can be extremely helpful to someone else just starting out, particularly in areas like common start-up mistakes and decision making. It's important to not only impart advice, but to also explain in detail, and be ready to answer plenty of questions.
Being able to associate with someone who has had some success can be very inspiring and motivating to a protégé. Be sure to let the person you're mentoring see that you are human, and have weaknesses and faults just like everyone else.
Mentoring is not for everybody. But if you believe you have something to offer, or the right promising student comes along, it may be time to give it a try. A mentor-protégé relationship can be beneficial to both. It’s a way of giving back, and you just might find the student can teach the master a few new tricks.