Mentorship is an important part of life. Both professionally and personally. If you read the stories of many successful people, both professionally and personally, they often had some sort of mentor in their lives. And again, it’s not just in the working world. We often have people that we use as examples in our personal lives. They help us build our character.
And the crazy thing is that we often emulate the bad habits of people without even realizing it. Maybe we aren’t reaching the success level we want. If we don’t take time to analyze the situation we could overlook the fact that we’re following the footsteps of someone in our lives that took the same path.
Let’s say that you’re a manager or a business owner. You can be a great mentor for your employees. But there are a few important things to consider.
1. Who Wants To Be Mentored
Part of being a mentor is finding the people that want to be mentored. The ones that want to learn. You’re fighting an uphill battle if you’re trying to get through to a person that isn’t ready at that moment. Sometimes we close ourselves off to others. Maybe that’s healthy at certain times in our lives.
Look for signs that an employee wants to learn. Are they asking questions? Have they been trying to spend more time with you? What is their eagerness for growing themselves and within your company?
It’s often said that Tiger Woods had a father that was a major mentor in his life. Some consider that maybe Tiger’s father pushed him too hard. But Tiger has often said that he had the interest in golf. He wanted to be mentored when it came to learning the game.
If Tiger never would have been interested we probably never would’ve heard of him. Even if his father had pushed him into it.
2. You Have To Understand Yourself
We all have our own strengths and weaknesses. It’s good to understand that when you’re working with and teaching someone. It’s a certain humbleness that comes with the territory. You may have a lot to give, but you also have limitations on what you can teach. Don’t be afraid to say that you don’t have a specific answer. Don’t be afraid to recommend other people for specific things that your employee wants to learn.
Also understand that there are many right answers for how to live a life. Your employee doesn’t need to take your exact same path. They can learn from you and also learn from others and create their own, perhaps similar, path to yours.
3. You Have To Focus On Actions
Do as I say, not as I do.
We’ve probably all heard that from people in our lives. Especially from parents. Probably also from other family members and even from our superiors in work settings.
But people don’t really follow that line of thinking. As humans, it seems that we’re wired to pay attention to the actions of others. Maybe we believe the words for awhile, but eventually the actions become clear. We see what people are doing and we make a decision if their actions are something we want to emulate.
Sometimes mentors don’t even encourage others to do what they did. I’ve often seen successful people that didn’t go to college tell younger people that they should go to college. Why? Maybe not going to college was a good choice. It’s not the only good choice, but why discredit it?
Focus on your actions. Try to be the person you believe you are. Remember that your employees are watching.
4. You Also Have To Learn
A learning mindset seems so critical to living a successful life. Again, both professionally and personally. I had a wonderful grandfather. He was, in my book, a success both in his professional and his personal life. I can’t remember meeting anyone that encountered him that didn’t like him.
One thing about my grandpa that I admired was that he was willing to learn. He wasn’t quick to give advice. He was quick to listen. And to ask questions. He seemed to be open to new information. Now, he certainly didn’t listen for advice and act on it all. But he would listen. And occasionally he would change. Usually nothing drastic because he was already a great man. But you have to think that living this way leads to continuous improvement over a long lifetime.
Even in a mentor/mentee situation, the mentor can learn a great deal.
I love the story about Butch Harmon working with Rickie Fowler a few years ago. Butch had to be in his 70s. Rickie was in his 20s. Butch was teaching Rickie a few things about the golf swing and about strategy. But one day while watching Rickie chip around the green, Butch saw Rickie using a certain technique. Butch walked over and asked Rickie how he was doing that. In that moment, the coach became the student.
That’s a key to being successful in life.
5. Be Upfront About The Give & Take
If you find someone that wants to work with you, be open about how the situation may work. Often in a work setting you’re going to be giving the employee tasks. Be upfront with them that the situation will likely have some benefit to you. Let them know that you want to work with them. But don’t make it out to be some charity case. Most people understand this. They don’t want a charity case. They want the proper amount of give and take. You can help each other to become more successful. You’re just at different stages in life.
Conclusion
It can be fulfilling to become a mentor in the workplace. But you have to find the right person. They have to be eager to learn. You also have to be open to change. You have to understand that your actions are what’s important.
This can be a win in three different ways. The mentee can find success. You can also learn. And the business you work for will likely see benefit as well.