SERIES: Taking Care of YOU! Advantages of a Mentoring Relationship: Why a Mentoring Relationship is Beneficial to Both Parties

Why is a mentoring relationship so important for the mentee and the mentor?  Some the of following reasons may encourage you to take advantage of a mentoring relationship:

MENTEE BENEFITS

1.       Well seasoned advisors can help you grow and develop as a professional, based on their more advanced knowledge or experience in your desired field. They can help you stay focused, set goals, and provide feedback.

2.       Mentors are a great source of knowledge.  Based on their insights and information they can help you on your path to success. They can even offer you instructions on best practices for performing certain tasks and advice on  developing useful skills.

3.       A mentoring relationship can increase your confidence.

4.       Mentors can help you stay on track with accomplishing your goals. You’re more prone to complete your goals when you have someone watching and motivating you.

5.       Your advisor, as a good listener, can listen to your ideas and provide you with unbiased feedback based on their relevant knowledge and experience.

6.       Since mentoring is relationship driven, the trust between you and the mentor is vital. This means that you trust the mentor to have your best interests in mind and will provide accurate and honest guidance.

7.       Mentors can help you develop your professional network, based on their experience and connections that can be valuable for your career advancement.

MENTOR BENEFITS

1.       Mentoring is an opportunity to practice and further develop your interpersonal skills (active listening, communication, empathy, patience, and collaboration).

2.       As a mentor, regardless of your career level, you can include mentoring experience to enhance your resume and shows that you share your knowledge to guide others.

3.       It’s a two-way learning opportunity. Mentees may be able to teach you about some things you may have not experienced before or have limited understanding in areas like itonics-innovation technology or how to use new software.

4.       Mentoring reinforces leadership skills and demonstrates that you can manage others effectively toward their goals.

5.       Mentoring strengthens your confidence in your skills and abilities. This confidence may help improve your professional and personal self-worth.

6.       Mentoring provides an opportunity to share your experiences (whether positive or negative) and reflect on lessons learned. It’s also a chance to remind you of what you enjoy about your profession, which might motivate you to embrace some unpleasant challenges in a better frame of mind.

7.       When you mentor an employee, whether he/she is in your organization or another, by sharing your knowledge and experience you can help them be more efficient and productive.

Take care of YOU by taking advantage of a mentoring relationship. Whether you are a mentee or mentor you will find a mentoring relationship well worth your time.