Mentorship is nothing without mentor-mentee relationship. Without one, the other would not exist. In other words, they need each other to survive. The mentor is the one with the upper hand — technically. Mentors know and hope to impact the mentee.
But there are some factors to consider even as the dominant figure. As mentioned earlier, the mentee on the other end must understand that their behavior influences the mentor. There are several career success stories as a result of mentor-mentee relationships. Such testimonies or stories validate the importance of mentorship. Mentorcliq shares five tips to build a successful mentor relationship.
Relationship-Building Tips for Mentorship Success
While Preparing for mentorship, Familiarize Yourself with The Goals Ahead
What you seek to achieve as a mentor or mentee in the relationship should be the first thing on your mind. In any field of study or establishment, the teacher or mentor is concerned with how they hope to change or teach their audience. Being well prepared would help the mentor develop a scheme to follow.
Have a Meet and Greet Often
Mentors and mentees can develop a healthy relationship if they fit into scheduled meetings. For some organizations, there is a length of a program that helps mentees bond professionally with their mentors. If your mentor-mentee relationship is not within the same organization, you must ensure that each other’s time is respected.
Know What Can Make Or Mar A Successful Future
Identifying possible pitfalls becomes easy once you identify the first rule of knowing your goal as a mentor or mentee. In doing this, the mentor can get prepared for what’s ahead. Despite having the required knowledge to excel, not all mentors can take failures from their mentees. Sadly, this can be a stumbling block to a successful future. Conversely, mentors will only react positively once they can be heard, seen, and appreciated. So, be polite when pointing it out, no matter their wins or errors.
Track Your Success
Mentorship makes sense when there is a track record. So, in the mentor-mentee relationship, both parties must be able to point out their successes. It does not matter how great or small it looks. No matter how little, growth is a big pass once you realize that the mentee is better from where they started. For the mentee, learn to appreciate your mentor by applying the lessons learned. Only then can there be a healthy and friendly bond.
Mentorship Involves Assessment
Evaluation cannot be emphasized enough. As a mentor, know when to press the breaks, ask questions, and act compassionately. At the same time, there are days you need to put on your strict sleeves.
Mentees would do themselves some good if they knew how to respond intelligently to their mentors. Remember that they have feelings, too. Once everyone is on their A-game, they keep an eye out for each other.
