Now that you have settled in, it’s time to pay it forward! Being a mentor provides an extremely important transfer of knowledge across Tandym Group so that the next generation doesn’t spend extra time doing what you have already accomplished. By being a mentor, you provide a sounding board for rising stars to learn from prior to direction and experience so that they can make better decisions in similar scenarios.
"Mentors are incredibly valuable, not just for providing guidance and training to a new person; they are also reassuring," said James Nuttall, content manager at It Works Media. "A mentor has been the new kid on the block and understands the stresses and fears that come with that position. For this reason, they remember how they felt when [they were] in that position and [are, therefore,] able to guide another person through the journey."
By providing this reassurance, mentors can increase the confidence of newer employees.
Some of the most important traits in a good mentor include patience and listening skills. Mentoring is as much about counseling as it is transferring knowledge and leadership skills. That takes practice!
While you don't want to judge or offend your mentee, you shouldn't filter your feedback to avoid hurting them, either. There is a way to deliver criticism without breaking their confidence. Sharing your experience is a great way to send a message without criticizing them directly. For example, tell them about a mistake you made and how you learned from it. If the mentee is savvy, they will see the comparison and the subtle message: "Don't do what I did, and here's why." The point is to educate, not tear down the person.
It's important to relate to your mentees and understand their perspective and feelings. If they're having a bad day, you should pick up on their energy and work to help them through it. You might think empathy cannot be taught, but with practice, you can achieve higher levels of empathy. This requires effort: listening more, being curious about others, appreciating those who are different from you, illuminating any innate judgments, and educating yourself to break false stigmas and ignorant notions. Times change, and so do organizations. If you can put aside your own feelings about how things were hard for you, you can speak far more clearly to someone who was able to avoid that challenge and still rise to the same role and expectations.