What exactly is mentoring?
Before we can adequately look at the benefits that mentoring programmes can provide, we must first grasp what mentoring is. Mentoring is simply the process of a person or an organisation assisting people in their personal and professional development. The person providing help is referred to as a “mentor,” while the one receiving support is referred to as a “mentee.” Because there are many different sorts of mentors, just as there are many different types of people, this relationship can be complicated at times. The mentor will likely fall somewhere between a “trusted friend” and a “counsellor.” But how exactly does one define a mentor? So, we came up with a few categories, and your mentor will almost certainly fall into one of them. Continue reading to learn how to choose the right mentor for you and how to avoid the wrong ones:
1. The crowding mentor
This is the kind of mentor that doesn’t seem to understand the term “personal space.” This mentor may not be your first pick, but he or she was chosen for you by your company. They interfere and often overstep the boundaries of what you find to be comfortable.
2. The impossible mentor
The impossible mentor is simply someone with whom you do not feel at ease, regardless of what you or the mentor does. This can make things seem overbearing at times, like an unclimbable mountain.
3. The younger mentor
You might come across a mentor who is younger than you in some instances. Even though you may have more work experience than he does, this mentor was assigned to you to assist you. However, you find it difficult to trust such a youthful tutor. Whilst youth doesn’t always mean inexperience, it can be good to avoid younger mentors to be on the safe side.
4. The ardent researcher
Someone who places a strong emphasis on scholarly study and theories could be your mentor. While this trait may not be a flaw in and of itself, you may find it difficult to organise critical appointments with this mentor since they prioritise research. Furthermore, this type of mentor may not consider that educating the mentee is necessary, making you a low priority for them.
What exactly does a mentor do?
So now that you know what kind of mentors to avoid, it’s time to look more closely at what a good mentor should actually do:
• Be available for a phone call or a face-to-face meeting.
• Maintain a positive attitude about the mentoring programme and the mentees’ development.
• Assist mentees in feeling proud of their accomplishments.
• Assist mentees in adhering to deadlines and timelines.
• Know someone who can help their mentees in situations where they can’t.
• Assist the mentees with their work schedules. They should, for example, assist the mentees in developing realistic goals, timeframes, and a strategy for achieving them.
• Provide constructive criticism on the work. They should provide their thoughts on the mentee’s performance so that the mentee understands where they need to improve.
• Assist the mentees in considering other people’s feedback. The mentees should carefully consider other people’s perspectives in order to identify their own flaws.
• Make it possible for the mentees to learn. Mentors should provide the essential resources, such as time, effort, and space, so that their mentees can learn even while working on a daily basis.
• Encourage and motivate their mentees. The simple act of inquiring how someone is doing can be encouragement for them to improve their performance.
