Importance of Mentoring and What Characteristics a Good Mentor Should have?

Humans have always relied on other human beings for guidance and learning. This is why the concept of a teacher started centuries ago. Teachers are usually an expert in a certain field and transfer their knowledge to their students. For example, a chemist will teach chemistry, an artist will conduct art classes, and a mathematician will teach maths. However, having subject-specified teachers does not guarantee success in life. Here, comes the role and importance of mentoring. What is a mentor? How do mentors affect the lives of other individuals?

1. What is a Mentor?

Mentors are the people, who may not have subject-specified expertise, but they provide support and general guidance to other individuals, either less experienced or younger ones. This does not necessarily mean that mentors cannot be subject-specified. They can be expert teachers who help individuals with personal and professional growth. In short, mentors are life coaches. Typically, individuals lookout for mentors from the same field and someone who has more experience. Many university students find mentors from their senior batches, who can help them with university life. Humans require mentoring in all fields of their lives. This shows the importance of mentoring in a human’s life.

However, not everyone can become a good mentor. Certain traits and qualities make certain individuals better mentors than others.

2. What Characteristics a Good Mentor Should have?

Along with the importance of mentoring in one’s life, the qualities and personality traits of a mentor also hold importance for better guidance.

• Mentors need to have more experience than their mentees. This is important because mentees can learn better through their mentors’ experience and practical life examples.
• A good mentor is a good listener, who can listen to the problems of their mentee and show empathy towards them.
• Flexibility is another important trait to become a good mentor. A flexible person always makes room to tend to others’ needs selflessly, which makes it easier for individuals to find support in them.
• A good mentor should be open-minded and accepting of different cultures, ethnicities, personalities, and genders, so that, individuals from different backgrounds open up to them and feel safe around them.
• No matter what problem is presented to them, they should be non-judgemental towards it. Their personal opinions and choices should not become a hurdle.
• Having knowledge and experience.
• Have enough time on their hands to guide others and still have some time to themselves.
• A good mentor is always open to constructive criticism so that they can make improvements in their work.
• A good mentor should have a good network of people and resources to get help in time of need.
• Although it is not necessary to have a successful professional life but people get more motivation from successful people. However, exceptionally successful careers are not required.

3. Types of Mentoring

Conventional Mentoring: In conventional or traditional mentoring, each individual gets a mentor who helps the individual in different areas. These areas can be related to the professional, personal, social, or financial life of an individual. It can also be called ‘one-on-one mentoring’. This type of mentoring can be seen in places where there are fewer people and each individual can have one mentor. For example, supervisors in universities and companies.

a) Group Mentoring

In group mentoring, a sing mentor is tending to a group of people at the same time. It is beneficial in cases of a large number of mentees and fewer mentors. The importance of mentoring does not get affected by this. In fact, mentees can inspire each other with their progress.

b) Virtual Mentoring

As the name indicates, virtual mentoring is when two individuals or groups form a mentor-mentee relationship without being physically present in the same space. It occurs in virtual spaces and online groups.

4. Importance of Mentoring

What is the importance of mentoring? What are the reasons that make mentoring so desirable?

Let’s find out.

a) Source of Moral Support

Mentoring is a very useful and tested method of providing moral support to someone. The importance of mentoring can be assessed through its multi-dimensional benefits. It helps individuals with professional, educational, and personality development. During mentoring, when mentees go to their mentor for guidance, the idea is not to get the right answer always. It is to get the moral support and unconditional regard that in case things do not work out, everything is going to be fine.

b) Source of Knowledge

There is no doubt that mentors often contain a depth of knowledge because of their constant interaction with people and their ability to learn new things at every stage of life. Some technical mentors are experts in a specific study area and they use their skills to teach others. New entrepreneurs can get advice on budget, planning, and marketing from other older businesses that have been through this process.

c) Mentors Set and Achieve Goals with you

Sometimes mentors make small or long-term goals for their mentees to help with their progress and set up their pace. This is a highly important task in every field area one works. Once the goals are set, the importance of mentoring does not stop here. Mentors make sure that their mentees achieve the goal at a consistent pace.

d) Connecting People

Mentors are not only teachers but they make way for their mentees. Therefore, a good mentor has many connections and resources that he can use to help the mentees. They connect their mentees to possible opportunities and help them get better access by using their resources.

e) Constructive Criticism Help Improve Work

The importance of mentoring or having a superior over one’s head is evident from the quality of work produced by individuals. The mentees are not special species or are not given high intelligence. They improve their work after constant constructive criticism they receive from their mentors. That being said, the criticism should be constructive, meant to be uplifting and not demotivating, and it should be viewed objectively, without any biases.

5. Importance of Mentoring for Children

Most of the time, the children get neglected by the adults in their family or social circles. Though it is not healthy for children’s developmental growth, adults are also bounded b their own problems and busy schedule. In such cases, the presence of a mentor is highly significant. Following are some points that touch on the importance of mentoring for children.

• Children get attention and emotional support from their mentors.
• They get the necessary guidance to grow into better human beings.
• Their special bond with mentors can teach them many life lessons i.e. respecting adults, hard work, honesty, etc.
• Children can have someone in their lives whom they can go to without hesitation.
• Mentoring instills confidence and a positive self-image among children.

6. Importance of Mentoring for Teenagers

Since we all know that teenager is a pivotal time in a person’s life. Right guidance and company can teach teenagers a lot and guide them towards the right path. Teenagers who are filled with rebellion, anger, confusion, and heightened emotions, do not listen to authority figures and family members. Their automatic aversion to these figures encourages them to rebel and go away from the correct path. At times like these, the role of mentors is highly needed.

Mentors can form a friendly bond with teenagers and guide them in a way that is acceptable to teenagers. The key is to have an empathetic personality of mentors, who listen to them and accept them without any judgment. Once a mentor-mentee bond is made, it is easy to guide teenagers toward a better path.

7. Importance of Mentoring for Adults

Human beings require guidance in all stages of life. Similar to children and teenagers, adults require constant support and guidance that can give answers to their confused minds. Adulthood can be a tough time for many individuals. Adulating is a challenge that often demotivates adults. They need reassurance and encouragement in practical life. Therefore the importance of mentoring in adulthood is as equally important as it is in any other stage of life.