Become a Mentor
Nothing can enrich your professional and personal life like helping others grow and achieve their dreams. In fact, when asked about their most rewarding experiences in their careers, many leaders will tell you that it was playing a part in other people’s success. So, too, can your experiences and talents help another person excel and look for opportunities to coach and encourage others. When you recognize someone with raw talent who needs guidance and support, reach out and offer assistance. Not only will this individual benefit from your mentorship, but you’ll also enhance this dimension of your leadership.
After all, we all have strengths and knowledge worth sharing. And what good are those gifts if we don’t offer them up to others? With the holidays upon us, it’s the perfect time to be thinking about “sharing the goods” — those talents and learned skills that can empower other people to reach their full potential. Why?Helping others has its rewards. It’s a win-win situation in which another person develops and you evolving into a richer, deeper sort of leader, too. When others discover you’re not just any old leader, but a mentor, they’re impressed. They know you’re the sort of person who doesn’t just care about a business or organization but the genuine development of people.Mentorship is more than just a job. It’s something you do for personal fulfillment. This is about doing those selfless or “random acts of kindness” that make the world a better place, align your heart and head with a “giving” purpose, and support others for that reason alone. You might need to plan for it and spend time outside the work environment to really ensure your mentoring is successful. Doing it right and well involves more than just giving someone regular praise or tips. It takes commitment and discipline.
People you help never forget. An unintended benefit to mentoring is you’ll make friends for life, building relationships that run deep, last and can surprise you in ways you could never imagine possible.Your legacy becomes a bit more unique. Leaders who have committed themselves and their lifelong careers to mentoring others have a different depth to their legacy than those who do not. This added dimension makes them distinct, defining them as teachers, helpers and coaches. They’re very “real” and accessible, despite any current or former prestigious titles. So think hard — when the day comes that you’re old and retired, looking back on your life, how do you want to be remembered?
How do you find someone to mentor — how do you know that individual is a good match for you?
