Mentoring to improve yourself and help others.

Being a mentor is, for me, an important part of life. I have people who I looked up to, they mentor me and give advice and guidance on how to avoid the pitfalls of life, work and the world in general. I like paying it forward and passing this knowledge on, to people who want it. It’s not about leadership, running things from the front or leading the charge. It’s about showing the path to take and helping them figure out how to overcome the challenges and get to their destination, whether that be a happier person, finding the right job, improving confidence or helping talk through a difficult situation. I don’t do it for Fake Internet Points I do it, purely because I like doing it.

Which is why I signed up to the Brighton Momentum Mentoring Scheme it’s nothing new to me, I’ve done similar things before, in many different guises and forms. Some of it professional, but still carrying a message, like Amadeus South Africa Careers blog some of it happens less overtly and, occasionally, I get an email a couple months or even years later. That’s sometimes enough reward in itself.

The one pervading concept of mentoring is about listening and sometimes it’s good to be listened to. Often we forget that our own aspirations, or challenges are kept under wraps and we feel reluctant to share them and, when that happens it’s harder to make things happen.

Aiming high, but also being specific about what you want, is the best way to achieve your goals. Share these plans and aspirations with the right people and mentors. But consider becoming a mentor for someone else at the same time, start a conversation with someone and in turn learn more about others, yourself and see that empowering other people is actually the best way to make a difference. 

Rob Stebbens is an IT Generalist and Consultant. Having worked in many locations and travelled extensively he now works for OCS Consulting in the UK where he delivers projects, develops business opportunities and writes about his experiences. When not working, he enjoys snowboarding, learning guitar and walking his dog, Juno.