A Perfect Mentor - Leading to a Better Life?

 

To keep moving forward, we always need a path of light to lead us forward. We want someone to push us at every step to keep up the motivation. A guide to direct us about the best ways to opt for the best output, a person who would lead you and the people around towards a better phase of time, someone who could take responsibility for the well-being of the work you’re provided with and that someone who guides you appropriately, is a mentor.

 

As we all have come across one or the other mentors in our school, college, and then professional life, we already know who a mentor is. A mentor is actually a person or a friend who guides people with less experience, by building a trusty bond and is an idol of a positive approach to behavior. A well-preserved mentor understands that his/her role is to be a little more engaged, authentic, trusting, dependable, and is also tuned into the needs of a mentee.

 

Check this document which states the roles and responsibilities of a mentee  

 

The most significant and prominent role of a mentor is to guide the mentee(s) in all the steps on a way for achieving the best results through assigned areas and fields. A mentor should always be available in the need of the hour, for the people working under the guidance. He/she should take up responsibility in order to assure getting the best work out of the team.

 

Responsibilities of a Mentor

 

We are all humans, and so is the mentor, mistakes will definitely be made by him/her as well. But there are pretty basic things required to be adopted to for becoming a better version, and they could possibly be-

 

1. By establishing some expectations and ground rules beforehand.

2. When the mentor is first introduced to the mentee, it should first concern the comfortability of the mentee or team by explaining the basic role at first and then later coming to the targets they need to achieve.

3. A mentor should set the goals that will bring out mutual participation.

4. Even if the gap between a mentor and mentee is bridged, then also there should be a fixed contact schedule in order to work smoothly.

5. A mentor should not think of becoming a dictator. He/she should first listen, ask, discuss, advise, and then the decision should be of mutual interest, both to the mentor and mentee.

6. Mentors should not chain the mentee, he/she should be able to make their point and make their own decisions as well.

 

If you wish to know more, check out this amazing article on strengthening the mentor-mentee relationship

 

Dealing With a Team

 

It becomes a bit difficult to handle a whole bunch of different people as a team, with different perspectives, opinions, thought processes, and ways of dealing with their work. A mentor needs to be very crafty about how to lead these different people as a team, in one. Following are some ways suggesting how to deal with a team- 

 

1. Focus on behaviors and work patterns of the team rather than only focusing on the results they give.

2. Every person has a different approach to their motivation. Observe and learn what positively reinforces the individual when he/she feels down with the work.

3. Listen and ask, instead of giving orders and judging.

4. Do not blame the people working under guidance. Both mentor and mentee should be accountable for each other.

5. A mentor should keep his/her mind open towards any new ideas and thoughts coming from the mentee, and try to implement it with full responsibility.

6. A mentor should always try and give feedback, and appreciation to the mentee according to the work they have done. It gives a little push to them to work harder.  

7. Think small. Don’t just start setting higher goals making it difficult for them to approach it all together. Work at a slow pace, one step at a time. 

 

 

How You Can Be Different,  Yet a Better Mentor?

 

Sometimes, it might not be easy to become a mentor for someone. It might feel like a big and scary responsibility. But here are some tips on how you can be a good mentor.

 

1. You should have relevance in your expertise and knowledge about your work.

2. You should share the knowledge you ought to have and don't only keep it with you. A mentee is a learner, so try to be enthusiastic about sharing your expertise.

3. Although you are a mentor, a person with a higher position and knowledge, it doesn’t give you the responsibility to be disrespectful towards others. A respectful attitude even towards your juniors helps you go a long way.

4. You should always have an eagerness to invest in others whenever they need you.

5. You should be straightforward when it comes to working. You should have the ability to give direct and honest feedback for the betterment of an individual and the work is done.

 

Conclusion 

 

We all are mentees and we also become a mentor at some stage. Never try to be someone to your juniors that you have never wanted for yourself. Be reflexive towards listening and understanding the problems your juniors face. 

We all go through the same stage and for that, you should know and relate the struggles they go through, just like you, and try to be a little empathetic towards each other. A mentor guides the path to the people around and you should always be able to do that, no matter what. 

 

Always have the willingness to be a sponsor of the tasks you give others and share an equal amount of responsibility towards it. Not only practical, but a mentor has some ethical considerations also that should be kept in mind. Mentoring is not just a mere practice of getting everyone to work for you, it is work that should be done sympathetically and with devotion. 

 

Not just a good mentor, our own personality and personal development also determine our success. So, check out this amazing article on personal development plan to know more. 

 

 

Written By - Pavas Shrigyan  

Edited By - Neha Kundu