3C’s of Mentoring
At one point or the other, we may have all received a wise word or a helping hand or some form of guidance that has changed the course of our life. But the real question is, how many times have we acknowledged or been grateful to have received such support?
I am sure you are recollecting past events right now 🙂 But, I can assure you in most of the cases, you might have taken the support you have received for granted.
You and I are not alone in this. It happens with almost everyone. Now I will tell you the reason why we do that.
Mentoring is considered a charitable service or at least a semi-charitable one. We often consider those mentors or advisors as altruistic people. At times, we feel they are doing their job, or it’s not a task to be thankful for.
Normalizing mentorship is the need of the hour. There should be a system in place where continuous support is available to everyone whenever they need guidance in their personal and professional lives.
We have seen successful entrepreneurs talk about their mentors, coaches, and gurus of their life and how they have transformed their lives.
So what are the most important qualities you should look for in a mentor?
Consultant: Mentors are experienced in their areas and can provide valuable guidance to mentees. They share their real-world experiences with mentees thus reducing the mentee’s time and effort in figuring out problems and getting more clarity.
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants ”
Sir Issac Newton
Counselor: Mentors need not always give suggestions or feedback. They observe and listen more. Mentors should give their mentees enough freedom to make their own decisions. Sometimes mentees need to learn from their own mistakes and that is going to benefit them in their life, later. During those times, the mentor’s job is to reflect and lay down options for the mentees to choose from.
Cheerleader: Motivation is a very important concept in mentorship and is often overlooked by many in the Industry. Most of them think that guidance is all about giving feedback and advice. Timely encouragement is very crucial for the mentee’s growth. Mentees will be able to better perform when mentors root for them.
Mentoring is a holistic process, hence the mentor should be able to balance every aspect of mentorship properly to better manage the relationship.
