I am always increasing my quality of mentorship to ensure I am giving absolute cutting edge service and information. I am keen to find out from you guys what you look for in a mentor?
A mentor should be someone who has successfully accomplished a goal that you wish to accomplish or have great insight. I personally would like a mentor that is helpful, patient, provides good direction, and doesn't mind communicating with me.
I believe that the most important traits of a great mentor are:
1. Willingness to learn: knowing that one does not know everything, and is capable of being wrong, even as a mentor.
2. Shared vision: in pursuit of the similar goals in life and work.
Unfortunately, these are not discernible without personal experience with a given mentor, since preaching such traits is not the same as practicing them.
To me, a mentor is someone that is living the life that that you want to live and is quite a bit older. They've already accomplished the goal you set out to reach. It could be that they've created a lifestyle that you want. They are the people you ask advice on for the large life decision moments.
For example, do you like the relationship they have with their spouse and kids? Have they created a business that allows them to spend time with their family? Think about exactly what you want to accomplish in your life before seeking out mentors.
If you're looking for someone to give you marketing or sales or HR advice, you're more seeking an advisor that knows a particular field.
Let me know if you'd like to talk about how to find top notch mentors.
If you were an aspiring formula one driver who would you choose as a mentor? A one time formula one champion or a driver that has won the championship multiple times?
Before you choose a mentor keep the following qualities in mind:
1. A Mentor Should Fit You: You may have many people to choose from when you are shopping for a mentor. This can be like shopping for a shirt. If you find a style you like, the one that fits might be at the middle of the pile or be the last one you look at.
2. Mentors Value Learning: Good mentors are life-long learners and should want to pass that desire on to everyone they meet. They should realize that while they are experts, they cannot possibly know everything.
A valuable trait in a mentor is the understanding that it is ok to be an expert and not know something.
3. Mentors Encourage You to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone: All people have a zone in which they operate and live in. They are comfortable and able to excel in this zone. This is called a comfort zone.
4. They Are Active Listeners: A mentor needs to be able to listen to what you are saying. They should be involved in the conversation, prompting you for clarity or more information.
They should not be distracted when you are talking to them.
5. Mentors Know How to Provide Feedback: Everyone can benefit from feedback. Even the most skilled and knowledgeable person is a beginner at something, requiring feedback to continue to grow in their new skills. Feedback is essential to improvement. A mentor should create long-term objectives and short-term goals with you to help you become the expert you want to be.
6. They Treat Others Respectfully: Mentors should know how to be tactful in their conversations and be emotionally intelligent. Emotional intelligence is the ability to be aware of emotions in others and oneself and be able to make decisions and influence others while controlling emotions and feeling empathy for those they are dealing with.
7. They Are Experts in Their Field: Mentors are not just respectful, enthusiastic people. They should be considered an expert in their field, and be in the same field you are hoping to become an expert in. It is possible for a mentor to not be in an expert in the field you work in and provide excellent guidance, but you generally should stick with an expert in your field.
Besides if you do have any questions give me a call: https://clarity.fm/joy-brotonath
