Characteristics of a good mentor: What should I look out for

  There are many characteristics of a good mentor.  While considering a mentor, find someone who is enthusiastic, appropriate, respectful of others, and a respected expert in their field.  This will help you get the results you want and hopefully create a beneficial relationship for you and your chosen mentor.

  Almost anyone can act as a career mentor – a friend, a friend of a friend, a family member, an alumnus from your school, a co-worker or peer, a current or former boss, or someone you know through an event network.  A mentor is not someone whom you respect from afar.  They have to be able to play a steady role in your life during a certain period of time.

What do you expect from a good mentor?

One of the characteristics of a good mentor is that he is someone who transcends the boundaries of the teacher-student relationship to help his trainee succeed in work, school, or any other field.  At work, the mentor fosters a relationship with a new colleague to help him engage in the workplace, and understand how the organization works and how it aligns with the company culture.  In turn, the new employee receives valuable input, learns to become an integral part of the organization and has someone with whom he can communicate in times of uncertainty.

  Today’s employees place an increasing value on career development opportunities – in particular, the ability to be able to envision a clear career path and the presence of people within the organization who help make this a reality.  For this reason, many companies are starting to place more emphasis on soft skills training.

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  The most obvious way to do this is through mentorship.  Mentoring gives employees an opportunity to communicate meaningfully with each other.  Employees who participate in mentoring tend to have higher job satisfaction, increased job effectiveness, and upward mobility in their careers.

  It all sounds great, but what makes someone a good mentor?  What are the characteristics of a good mentor? Coaching goes much deeper than simply having a higher-ranking employee preaching to the younger employee about how to achieve career success.  A good mentor-learner relationship is a two-way street that fosters professional and personal relationships.

Characteristics of a good mentor

1.    Approachable

  Mentoring is relationship dependent, and the easier it is for the trainee to develop a relationship with the mentor, the better the chances of successful mentoring.  Therefore, one of the main qualities of a good mentor is to be friendly, generous and warm.  In addition to being friendly with people, mentors should also make themselves available to interns on a regular basis.  If the mentor is too busy, the trainee will not get the same way out of the relationship.  The mentor should be able to meet the intern on a regular basis, either face-to-face or virtually, as well as be available for informal communication between meetings.

2.    Doesn’t judge

  One of the most important characteristics of a good mentor is the ability to listen and withhold judgment.  Mentors should avoid using loaded words such as “should,” “should,” or “true / false”. When someone is in a judgmental mentoring relationship, this creates distance between the two: the trainee feels resentful, and the mentor can be perceived as arrogant and arrogant.  However, providing a safe space for the trainee to try new ideas or talk through problems can be very beneficial for the trainee’s growth.

3.    Ability to show empathy

  You will likely talk to your teacher about difficult situations.  Although they don’t necessarily need to be warm and loved, they need to be able to empathize with you (and others) so that they can better help you overcome challenges.

  When examining a potential mentor, pay attention to how well he understands other people’s perspectives.  Do they deal with an issue from multiple perspectives, or do they talk exclusively about their thoughts and feelings?

4.    Integrity and trustworthiness

  You want to be able to speak truthfully with your teacher without worrying about betraying your secrets.  It is also important for your teacher to gain the trust of others if he wants to help you advance in your career.  Select a trustworthy person with an irreplaceable reputation

  Sometimes, mentoring can run into difficulties when the mentor and mentor are working in the same company.  Even if the mentor is very trustworthy, it can be difficult for him or her to balance mentoring responsibilities with a professional duty in certain circumstances.  Pay attention to this, and try to avoid putting your teacher in a situation that could lead to a conflict of interest.  For this reason, many people find it helpful to have someone outside of their organization as well as an inside mentor.

  You want to share relevant knowledge and experience.  It is clear that having a wealth of experience, knowledge and experience is important, but what is the use if a guide keeps this information close to his chest?  Good mentors not only have the desire but a strong desire to share this information.  They possess the empathy and understand what it was like when they were just starting out in their career or field.  This prompts them to push it forward, so to speak, through mentoring.

5.    Constructive feedback

  A new employee learning how to work within an organization needs guidance from a mentor to help him avoid making mistakes.  Criticism is a necessary part of the learning process, but a skilled mentor can direct criticism in a way that lets the employee know that the comments are constructive rather than personal.

  The goal is to let the employee know that he is undergoing an assessment to help him change his approach.  Taking a constructive tone and speaking helps the employee understand that criticism is aimed at highlighting areas for improvement, not pointing out mistakes.

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