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The 5 Benefits of Becoming a Mentor

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As a busy business professional, you have to ask: “Do I have the time to be a mentor?”

To answer that question, you have to work out how much it’s worth to you. Because there are always ways to make time for things that matter.

Let us help. Alongside Adam Mitcheson, CEO and founder of the mentoring platform, my2be, we reveal how supporting bright and committed talent in their careers can benefit you (and your business!) in dazzling ways.

It’s. Just. So. Satisfying.

Imagine you’ve just started mentoring. Your task is to help a junior develop new skills, their self-awareness and their confidence.

A couple of years have whizzed by and your mentee is killing it. With your guidance and support, they have smashed their personal goals and contributed amazing things to the business.

How do you feel? Like a bonafide hero! Every time you go to the office, you are reminded of the incredible ways you’ve touched a life.

Adam Mitcheson is living proof of the value of mentoring. He’s the CEO and founder of my2be, an online platform that connects people with mentors. His business idea stemmed from his own experiences being a mentee, as he explains how important his mentor was to him

“My mentor was able to put me in touch with people who had the relevant experience and expertise to very quickly help me understand what my next move should be, based on my own experience and ambitions.”

Become a mentor and get all kinds of good feelings. You are transforming a life by broadening their prospects and that is something to be extremely proud of.

Personal Miracle-Gro

Mentoring is an epic journey of self-discovery that’ll help you grow exponentially on a deeply personal level. You get to reflect on your personal growth, considering the unique things you can offer a mentee.

This gives you a chance to identify your biggest strengths and weaknesses and ask yourself: “What can I work on to improve and help this individual further?” Acting on what you discover will aid your personal growth immeasurably.

Mentoring is in itself a powerful tool to master. It’s about developing your communication skills and finding the most effective way to pass on your knowledge.

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ― William Arthur Ward

But more than that, it’s about understanding someone’s fears, values and dreams for the future. And practising patience, enthusiasm, diligence and compassion to truly connect with someone and be a positive influence – skills worth their weight in gold.

Gain Fresh Business Insight

Through mentoring you can essentially become an undercover boss. While you support a junior, you see your business from their point of view, helping you understand your company culture and processes from the ground up.

As Adam Mitcheson puts it: “The best source of information is from someone who actually has the experience and knowledge.”

Insider information helps you understand your employer brand and how you can improve it. The same goes for productivity and performance – are there areas you need to work on to build a stronger company structure?

Take such discoveries to the next level through reverse mentoring. As a junior takes on the role of mentor, they can help you understand new things younger people are interested in, such as social media, online tools and other groundbreaking tech pertinent to modern business success.

Save Money Through Staff Retention

Mentoring can help you drive staff retention dramatically, as a seven-year study by Vestrics revealed.

It examined responses from more than 830 mentees and some 670 mentors participating in Sun Microsystem’s program and found that retention rates climbed by a whopping 70%.

Plus, an estimated £5.13 billion was saved in avoided staff turnover and replacement costs, demonstrating the awesome power of mentoring in strengthening employee loyalty.

It makes sense. When an employee knows you’re committed to helping them progress, they are much more likely to stick by you. Consider implementing other learning and development opportunities as well to further improve your staff retention.

Learn more about the cost savings here.

 

Serve The Bigger Picture

If you think mentoring is just about helping one individual or even your business, think again. There are far-reaching benefits to be gained from your contribution.

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

That person you choose to mentor will develop the skills and know-how to give back. The value they can contribute to others (and society!) is mighty.

Perhaps they will eventually take on their own mentee, helping someone who was once in their shoes succeed as they have.

They could also go on to achieve amazing things in their field, injecting innovation into their industry and igniting progression. Or maybe they will start their own business, creating more jobs for the next generation for the betterment of society.

Are You Mentor Material?

Mentoring is different from teaching and coaching. You’re not simply teaching someone how to do things, you’re helping them form their own ideas about the way things work and how to move forward.

Start by considering your own experiences and perspectives and how they can help an individual grow. Take the time to understand your mentee’s goals, listening to their ideas before you impart advice. Find out more about mentoring and sign up to be a mentor or mentee at the my2be website.

Have you been a mentor before? Or perhaps you currently have someone under your wing. We’d love to hear about your experiences so far. Please share them (along with any tips) on Twitter!

Want to turn your mentees into powerful leaders? Read this next!