This post was compiled by some members of the genesisproject, with little supervision, to try and define and breakdown mentoring/mentorship in their own words.
What is mentoring
Mentoring is an act of sharing an area of expertise and knowledge with a mentee (person being mentored) as well as developing the individual to become a replica of the mentor in certain fields/areas. Mentoring can also be termed coaching.
Mentorship Relationship
Mentorship is the establishment of a relationship between the mentor and the mentee.
Mentorship relationship basically can be established in two ways.
1: Formal mentorship: This kind of mentoring relationship is established when an organization put together a sort of training program to improve or promote workers development.
2: Informal mentorship relationship: In this case, a person's contact is made by approaching that figure he or she admires, and asking for guide from the person in certain areas of expertise.
Let's talk about the two parties involve in mentoring
1: Mentor: The mentor is the person who coaches.
2: Mentee: the person who is receiving the coaching.
Attributes of a mentor.
Before I go on, I would like to state that "the sole purpose of mentoring is to replicate yourself in others"
Here are some tips for effective mentoring.
1. You have to be flexible and bendable in the way you approach issues (don't be straightjacketed to a particular approach).
2. Always encourage your "mentee" (protégée)
3. More importantly, you have to sow the garment of patience, ability to tolerate "bullshit".
4. Give mentoring all it takes: your time, your resources, your life. Remember; for your relevance to succeed your existence, you have to invest your life in others.
5. Be a worthy example for your mentee to follow. They monitor every of your actions and inactions, and these speak volumes in their hearts.
6. finally, be very communicative.
Do not forget to come down to their level. Because this is not a boss-employee relationship, but a "mentor-mentee symbiosis".
Duties of a mentor
The first duty mentors need to embark on is self-discovery.
For you to shape someone, you have to be able to answer the call of a mentor. You must be a able to define who you are and the potentials you carry inside/outside. A mentor must distinct himself from others.
There is the need to be enthralling as a mentor and this is done through impacting and making a difference.
Mentors are magnet, they attract people through their words and actions.
Being a mentor entails involving yourself in what you love to do most. It involves wielding the power gotten from one's passion. Most importantly, mentors should have the unique ability of detecting hidden potentials in others as well as having the gift of foresight.
Mentorship is finding a voice, having a voice and letting that voice be heard across the globe.
Why is mentoring important
Mentoring advantages includes:
- Building a balanced relationship.
- Improving and enhancing standards of professional practice.
- Effective in the efficiency of goal.
- Foster self-reliance and support personal development as champions of change.
- Helps in providing more knowledge
- Creates necessary boundaries that we cannot set for ourselves, thereby solidifies work ethic, sharpens individual focus, and clarifies priorities
- Offers skills and expertise
- Mentors help individuals on the right part.
- Build self confidence
Categories of Mentorship:
There are different categories people can be mentored.
1) One-on-one mentoring: People can be mentored using the one-on-one Approach. This is where a direct relationship is established between the mentor and the mentee. This is usually the most effective form of mentoring. Questions are asked directly and a certain level of growth and it can be measured during the mentoring sections.
Training based mentorship: This can be done by organizing some sort of training programme to improve and develop one's self.
Resource based Mentoring: This form of mentorship is where the mentor makes available certain required resources to the mentee. This is usually done without or with minimal supervision.
Group mentorship: In this case certain group of persons with different experience level come together to share ideas to develop the less experienced once. Two or more people are at the same time working with only one mentor to learn and develop themselves.
Executive mentoring: This type is one of the most common and easily accessed way of developing one's self. In this case the mentee without direct contact learn to cultivate skills and knowledge from a superior/ more experience individual. This category is usually common in organizations and tends to be very effective also.
Making a difference with mentoring
Challenging: Mentoring creates a challenging atmosphere for businesses and entrepreneurs. It avails the opportunity for mentors/mentee to take up the challengers responsibility to confront assumptions and ask questions that would prevent making costly errors.
Cheerleading: It creates a motivating and supporting atmosphere.
Education: Mentoring educates, thereby making intellectual and developmental difference.
Connection: Mentoring connects, opens up to room for connection. Who you know and interact with, is what gives you the connection you need.
Special thanks to;
@ememovic
@ceepee
@samminator
@plojslydia
@mimy
@ttopsawg
@tfame3865
@camzy
For writing, compiling and editing this lovely post, remember to check them out. Stay tuned for more from members of the genesisproject
@genesis-project is the official steemit account of the genesisproject community. It was created with the aim of helping the community growth, encouraging members of the community on steemit, creating proper social, networking and marketable skills among Nigerian and general steemit authors. We aim at putting the "quality" back in quality posts.
Badge by @samminator, other images are from pixabay
