How to Mentor Effectively.

Sometimes we need someone who will take a chance on us. We have talent, drive and these many ideas, however, we would avoid costly mistakes if at some point in our lives we have people who have walked in our shoes pave the way for us.

Many prominent leaders today do not share their success stories without acknowledging people whose input have gotten them to where they are today. These people had(have) people who believed in their abilities and held their hands amidst many challenges. They supplied advice and emotional support when it was needed. They shared helpful contacts which brought in opportunities for them. These leaders have mentors to thank for their attained success.

 Bill Gates has a couple of them. Edwards Roberts and Warren Buffet. Edwards Roberts was a pioneer in the personal computing revolution. He reportedly invented the Altair 8800 in 1975 through his company Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS) where Bill Gates worked briefly. Bill Gates admits that Ed’s invention inspired the birth of Microsoft and that he was very supportive of him during the early years of Microsoft. Warren Buffet, on the other hand, he (BG) tributes for challenging his perspectives on business, success, and philanthropy.

 Mentoring allows one a good opportunity to give back, a noble act which provides a rewarding experience on a personal level. Working with a mentee is a good opportunity to fine-tune your leadership skills. You can apply new ideas learned from your mentees to your own profession!

 Whether it is at work, a foundation you volunteer for or a religious organization, on official capacity or not, here are three ideas to help you do well at mentoring.

1.      Set appropriate boundaries: When establishing mentoring relationships it is important to set appropriate boundaries to give structure to the relationship. Discuss your role as a mentor. Communicate expectations, any preferences or pet peeves upfront. Encourage them to share their expectations as well so you can have a mutual understanding on how to relate with each other. Do not forget to model the boundaries you have set. If your mentee is a young person, they will be learning from you how to set appropriate boundaries in their personal relationships. 

2.      Be Willing: When you decide to mentor someone, you pledge to part with your time and resources. You want to make the experience a worthy one, hence it is important that the decision to mentor is wholly yours and you are not being compelled to do so. Look out for compatibility with this person, while paying attention to any cue that could indicate conflict in the long term. It is important that a mentoring relationship does not feel forced. However, also check that your bias is not as a result of your reluctance to embrace diversity. Your mentee does not need to have the same perspective as you. Mutual respect for one another will smoothen your differences. 

3.      Show genuine interest or support: Theodore Roosevelt's quote, “people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care best describes this point.” While it is important to define expectations and set appropriate boundaries, showing personal interest will strengthen your relationship. Follow up on personal goals they have set for themselves. Show support. Provide constructive feedback.  A great mentor, along with their expertise is compassionate and committed to helping their mentees thrive in their chosen line of work.