Author: jim mack.
Most people agree that mentees receive enormous benefits from mentors. In fact,
in the 15 years I've been working with mentors and mentees, I've only met a
handful of individuals who didn't see any benefits of linking up with a mentor.
Selling mentors, however, is becoming more challenging. Successful
people are getting busier, and many aren't sure they want to make time to serve
as mentors. If you're debating about playing this role, here are some of the
most important reasons for investing at least two hours a month (24 hours a
year) to help a mentee.
1. You'll learn. By serving as a mentor, you'll
learn from your mentees. They'll have knowledge you don't have, maybe teach you
a new job-specific skill, and help you enhance your people-development skills,
which you can use with your own employees and even your family and friends. In
the process, you'll also learn more about yourself.
2. This is a chance
to pay back. In the past, you may have received good mentoring from someone and
never had a chance to show your gratitude to him or her directly. You now have
an opportunity to reciprocate and "put something back into the pot."
3.
You could receive recognition from peers and superiors. Being an effective
people developer won't go unrecognized. In fact, if you're in management, you'll
be officially or unofficially rated on your ability to recognize and groom
talent. If you're in a formal mentoring program, it's likely you'll be
recognized for your contribution.
4. You may get some extra work done!
Remember how you paid your dues by doing routine tasks for a mentor? Within
ethical limits, your mentees can work on your research, help with a project, or
finish other work that remains undone.
5. You'll review and validate
what you know and what you've accomplished. Teaching another helps you review
and reframe all you've learned about that subject. You'll realize that you've
accomplished much more than you thought.
6. You'll be more likely to
move into "Generativity" (vs "Stagnation"). Erik Erikson said you'll reach a
critical decision point in your mid- to late-30s. You can give up (moving into a
Stagnation phase), or you can thrive, proceeding to Generativity and happy 40s,
50s, 60s, and beyond. You do this by realizing you've been through and mastered
much, a new generation is coming behind you, and you have a lot to offer it.
Being an effective mentor can actually catapult you into successful
Regenerativity.
7. You'll probably feel satisfied, proud, and other
energizing emotions. When you have a positive effect on your mentees, expect
several positive feelings of pride, satisfaction, happiness, contentment, and
excitement along with the enjoyable physiological reactions that go with them.
8. Mentoring could have future personal payoffs.. When mentees are
successful, they often reward their mentors. Even if this isn't your reason for
helping, you could receive grateful thanks, notoriety, jobs, invitations, and
other future opportunities to contribute and celebrate.
9. You'll help
your organization. Mentoring employees can help give your organization a
recruitment edge, shorten learning curves, increase your mentees' job
satisfaction and loyalty, and improve productivity and quality.
10.
You'll leave the world better than you found it. It's been said before, and it's
still true. Taking the time to reach out to others, share your life's wisdom,
and convey your respect for them is probably the least expensive and most
powerful way to change the world, one life at a time.
Jim Mack is the
leading authority in teaching actual methods - proven, practical strategies that
work. In fact, Jim truly lives the principles he teaches and is the epitome of
leading by example. See him at http://www.whoisjimmack.com and
http://www.passivecashcow.com