"The first time someone asks you to mentor him or her; it is rather an interesting proposition. After all, this person appreciates your competence enough to want to learn from you. However, discovering the right person to mentor is like finding the right employee; it is not all that easy.
When taking on somebody who wishes to learn from you, prior to handing out all of your professional secrets, here are some things to consider and keep an eye out for:
How Enthusiastic the Protégés Seems About What You Wish to Teach Them
Some mentees, upon connecting with you as a mentor, don't totally comprehend what you are teaching them aspects of your service that are more crucial than the aspects they at first were interested in and, consequently pertained to you to discover.
The Protégés needs to enter kid transport into the relationship understanding that each piece of understanding that you are offering all leads up to one thing: an increased opportunity at success in the industry or trade that you are teaching them.
Despite the fact that the individual whom you are mentoring wants to find out how to shoot the basketball, to properly work with them, they should want to practice dribbling prior to they can shoot.
The importance of learning the fundamentals is something that, as a mentor, you must make clear to the Protégés. Whether they completely accept the difficulty will be a proven method to notify you if this undertaking will prove to be time well spent or will be a stick in the mud.
The Preliminary Work the Person whom you are Mentoring Puts In
Prior to doing any real teaching, I strongly suggest that you provide the young professional posts to check out that include topics within your market which you feel are of substantial value. If the Protégés really is serious about learning what you have the ability to teach them, they will do this. No questions asked.
As a coach, you should make the truth clear that if you are going to put in the required to work to teach them, they should want to reciprocate. A driven mentee will understand that it is not your job to teach them everything and will follow your guidance as to what to find out on their own so they can help you help them.
Besides having the Protégés reading posts on subjects that you discover crucial, you must have them perform such tasks as competitive analysis, short article writing and just about anything you do not have time to complete, however might require help with. Do not be afraid to obtain details from this person; keep in mind, it is a give and take.
Have a Firm Grasp on Why This Individual Has Asked to be Mentored
As a mentor, the last thing you want is to train a young professional just to have them approval a deal from a competing company and utilize the understanding you easily provided against you. Many times, this person will wish to straight work for you, nevertheless if that does not take place, be equipped to deal with the circumstance if the Protégés gains employment at a competing company.
It is not the NFL where Brett Favre is training a young quarterback who is signed to his team for 5 years. Work is a whole various story and make certain that the info you provide does not return to bite you.
The Secrets the Protégés Expects Off the Bat
This is genuinely among the best signs whether or not the individual whom you are mentoring is in the relationship for the proper factors. Most likely than not, you were asked to be a mentor due to the fact that you have trade secrets that others in the market do not. If the possible Protégés seems too eager to take those secrets and run, then avoiding the relationship is something I strongly recommend that you do."