Dr. Earl R. Smith II

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44 Responses to “What characteristics do you look for in a mentor?”
1.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:11 pm e
Eric Hyett: For me, a mentor should be someone who is intimately familiar with the corporate culture– someone with at least 5 years’ experience at the same company, preferably in a variety of roles, and who knows how to “get things done” in the company’s unique corporate culture.
Another factor to consider is seniority. The best mentor will have the ear of top management, both to help me gain access when required, but also to put in a good word or help smooth something over when there is a misunderstanding.
Finally, a good mentor should be a kind, supportive and generous individual who is willing to take the job seriously and make it a priority to meet with me regularly. Someone proactive is best; at the least, someone responsive and available is an absolute requirement.
2.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:13 pm e
Mark Tallman: I look for wealth and breadth of experience. I look for someone with an extensive network, both within the Mentor’s company as well as the community. I look for their record of service to others.
3.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:14 pm e
Robert Dolezal: I look for those with compatible but not overlapping experience, with world views that supplement or contrast with my own, with specific understanding and experience regarding the career and management issues that I am likely to be encountering, and those who come recommended by others who have successfully overcome obstacles, missteps, or challenges in their own careers.
4.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:16 pm e
Gordon Dymowski: First, I can honestly say that if it weren’t for the mentors in my life, I probably would not have been as successful as I am. Granted, my successes are relatively small, but if it weren’t for key people, I would not have had the professional experiences I did.
My primary goal in seeking a mentor is – does this person have the skills that I want to cultivate? I’ve been blessed to have mentors who were willing to share their expertise, and who have helped me by sharing their experience.
Another key trait I look for – the ability and willingness to share their expertise. It’s sometimes difficult to find someone who feels confident enough to share – or, better yet, they don’t share, believing that sharing their expertise means that they “lose” something.
5.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:16 pm e
Victoria Pynchon: To be a high quality mentor to young attorneys, a senior attorney should: (1) introduce her associate to her market, i.e., her clients and help her associate form a good working relationship with those clients; (2) take her associate to client meetings, settlement negotiations, and (if the mentor is a litigator, as I was for 25 years) not only take her associate to trial, pre-trial hearings and depositions, but give her associate the opportunity to examine a witneess at trial, aruge motions and take depositions, at the appropriate level of sophistication to match the associate’s skill and experience; (3) encourage her associate to start building her own “book of business” on day one of legal practice — first by envisioning that book as a goal in all its detail and then by taking the first “baby steps” to achieving that goal by joining professional and industry organizations, writing articles in legal and industry specialty journals and speaking at industry conventions as soon as she is able. The mentor should be a tough but forgiving critic of her associate on every level — practice skills, client relationships and collegiality within the law firm. In turn, the mentored associate must be willing to stretch herself, go out of her way to take on new challenges, and, as my white water rafting guides always exhorted me, to “paddle through her fear.” Oh yes, and how could I not add — BLOG! Start reading Kevin O’Keefe’s blog on blogging (http://www.lexblog.com). It’s the mentees’ web 2.0 onward. Use it, maximize it. Pass it along! Best, Vickie Pynchon
6.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:17 pm e
Roberto Perez: Personally, the first thing I look for in a mentor is their genuine desire to teach. I have been fortunate to come across a vast number of ‘experts’ throughout my career – however, I can count the small handful that has been supportive and truly interested in my personal and professional growth. Interestingly enough, I have discovered that some mentors do not have to be true ‘experts’ in a particular field either.
7.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:18 pm e
Tarek Foda: Earl, hope you are doing well
Another great question, that opens up lots of thoughts.
Recently I have read a book its called “The Mentor, a story of Success” by Claude Diamond. http://www.linkedin.com/in/claudediamond .
It was a great story, so I recommend if you reach out for Claude so he can send you a copy.
On the other hand, the main thing I look for in a mentor is someone who will Show me how to fish, and not only eat it.
and the rest will be all mine.
Have a fantastic day
8.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:19 pm e
Tarek Foda: Mentors come in different relations, there are business mentors, spiritual mentors and relations mentors, every one of those is different but they all have the same outcome which is; showing you how to do the best in everything you do.
As much they are totally different areas, but they all help you to reach your self awareness and build you emotional intelligence account.
I owe it to few people in this world who helped me find the really me and evolve it. They showed me what I was able to do. the strange thing was; They were right.
9.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:20 pm e
Ghada Richani: Someone I can trust, good listener, can give me constructive feedback, can help me find and grow my talents and learn from my failures..
10.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:21 pm e
Jeremiah Locanas: Integrity and trust are key. IE tagteaming behind a potential client’s back in order to drive an agenda usually isn’t a good sign…
I am having a meeting with someone who I trust, hopefully next week. If I’m right, then I think both were right and both were wrong about the past year or two. And if so, this will all go away along with the massive amounts of stress building up from the past 2 years – which has felt like a microcosm cold-war in my chest btw I think I’m going to rewatch A Beautiful Mind, Minority Report and Thomas Crown Affair now
11.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:22 pm e
Sandra Scirpo: A great mentor should have intimate knowledge of the industry and company in order to provide proper guidance for a career path. Addition to having a level of success in senior management, it is most important the mentor truly can be a teacher. A mentor should be in the position to depart knowledge and guidance selflessly.
12.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:23 pm e
Vincent Rios: What I would try to provide as a mentor is (& what I would want from my mentor is):
-Someone who would commit to being my teacher, and someone who I would commit to being a student. Meaning: That person would give me new insites into a topic/business issue/… I would commit to actually listening to the insites and at least trying to incorporate them into my actions.
-Someone whom I could trust and who could trust me. In order to get the most out of the relationship there needs to be a mutual trust & respect. The student needs to trust that the mentor isn’t going to (intentionally) have them do something improper. ..and, of course, the mentor needs to take on this responsibility as well.
-I would want someone as a mentor that has a body of knowledge in something that I wanted to learn. They wouldn’t have to be all-knowing just have wisdom that I could learn from. …and have the common sense to reason out the rest (and let me see those thought processes too).
-I do not think that the mentor has to expose me to their contacts, nor put in a good word for me. I would rather them teach me how to make my own way. I would actually feel a personal obligation to my mentor to somehow increase their stature/contacts in return for their guidance.
-Finally, I would want my experience with this person to be fun & engaging. Something to look forward to. Something that I would not abuse. …so that it lasts.
…and I have had few good mentors over the years that have changed my life.
13.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:25 pm e
Alexandra Cartier: When you are looking for someone who is a mentor. You really would want to respect to those who are willing to take the time to walk through the process of learning the new opportunity in their field. It is not always the case, when you have someone who has been within the company for 1 year to 10 years. Those who know what they are doing and they are good at what they do. It is how the mentor’s teaching style. How he/she can walk you through the learning process of whatever the subjects you are facing.
My main focus is how well they can teach me or walk me through the process without getting frustrated.
The secret of the mentoring is having the patience of repeating the problem over and over until the person who is learning, get this “aha moment.” Or being willing to change its teaching style by doing something different. Like using basic life experience to relate to the problem as an example.
14.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:25 pm e
Shannon Holman: I’ve been blessed with three mentors, each very different people in terms of experience and personal style. The one thing they all have in common? With the grace of a magician, by accepting me exactly as I was, they somehow managed to change me for the better.
So if I had to translate that into a skill set, I suppose it’s an amalgam of empathy and leadership by example.
15.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:26 pm e
Amish Parashar: As a mentor I try to:
-Listen more than I talk
-Realize what I can be helpful with, and what my own limitations are
-Offer advice in a manner I would be happy to receive it
-Fulfill promises in a timely manner
-Give my undivided attention to clients
-Treat current and former clients even better than prospective clients
-Combine advice with rolling up my sleeves and getting my hands dirty
-Ask for critical evaluations often
16.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:27 pm e
Yuri Sokolovski: I found mentors pretty much at every job, I even was assigned to one mentor once. I look for people who are more experienced than me, usually they’re older too. They have a good sense of humor and ability to help/guide with patience. They respect my abilities, what I know and what I do and always raise the plank – have slightly higher expectations from me, which pushes me to grow. It’s true – it’s very hard to grow in your job without a mentor.
17.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:28 pm e
Nancy Delain: I’ve never had a “mentor” who has helped me along the primrose path to the rosy end of my career (nor do I particularly want one). However, I would look for someone who (a) is a good, patient teacher; (b) is well-placed professionally (notice I didn’t say “within a corporation or business.” I’d want someone who knows people all over, not just in one company); and (c) has a circle of acquaintances to whom s/he is willing to introduce me in a favorable light that could be of benefit for me to know.
When I mentor someone else, as I have done, I present to them the world as I know it (meaning I take them to professional meetings (if it’s an associate in my firm, they sit in on client meetings if it’s appropriate and the client consents), present them with work that broadens their skill set as much as they want it broadened, introduce them around to other professionals (not just other attorneys), discuss how they can best present themselves (things like don’t get cocky, don’t wear writing on your t-shirt to work, etc.), provide them with contacts to others who can help them, etc.)
18.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:29 pm e
R Vijay Kumar: 1) Trust is a key factor. Trust gets built over a series of interactions which is why most of the “forced” mentors do not work out.
2) One should be clear about which areas one needs mentorship in. The answer to this question would help in identifying areas from which one should take a mentor and in setting right expectations. One needn’t always have a mentor from within one’s organization.
3) If one wishes to have a mentor within the organization, typically a person who is one level or max two levels up should be fine. One should be cognizant of the demerits of very close association with a single mentor within one’s organization. One may end up not taking enough risks or doing different roles – both of which build exposure and reputation within the company.
4) Leadership style of the mentor is another key aspect. We all know folks whose mentees would not have lasted long.
5) It is best to avoid looking at a mentor as a great networking opportunity within the organization.
6) Mentorship is not necessarily about learning the ropes. To my mind it tells more about the inadequacy of systems and procedures within the company. One would be benefitted more by associating with folks who have deep knowledge about the industry one is working in. This would help in thinking well about issues, articulating a sound position and generating enough momentum to execute on the same.
7) Finally, a mentor may provide only 10% of the total mentorship that one may need. For the remaining – one has to invest time and energy in reading up, being part of industry forums and the like.
19.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:30 pm e
Ryan Blevins: I’m with Amish on this one.
20.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:32 pm e
Carter Stewart: I have had the opportunity to be the protégé of tow particularly skilled senior level officers. My experiences with enabled me to better understand my profession to be sure, but the most valuable lessons that I took away from them had more to do with real life, and real relationship, and how to become the person that you want. The rest, as one used to say, “will take care of itself”,
The best advice that I ever got from mine (which hang over my desk in a form of the Original Work Commandments that I picked up over 10 years). I would like to share them in the hope that they can offer you some of the comfort, advice, and education that I have received from these two wonderful people:
• “The higher up you go and more access you attain for yourself and others; the more that all the positive reinforcement has to come from within”
• If the numbers (like salaries, projects, etc) don’t tick and tie with your heart- then no matter how correct the math is; the number is wrong.
• “My father had never been to school, but when I asked him about his job, he said with pride that he cleaned toilets better than anyone else ever could. While I never received much formal education myself, but I took that same feeling of pride and passion in what do from my dad.
• Never forget that work can and will move on without you. You are a life, and you are here to experience that life. Find the time to be vulnerable, find the time to be at peace, find the time to thank the people who care about you the most by investing time in them.
• Give the young bucks their day. Guide them when you can, and if you find one that shines from the rest, then connect and nurture that connection. They are the future, and they are almost always as scared and thirsty as you once were.
For those of you still looking for a mentor, do not worry. They come to you at times that are organic, full of promise, or are occasionally born out of a tragic event. Either way, being a mentor is about chemistry- so just keep a look out for who inspires you. What type of person is that? What about them inspires you?
21.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:33 pm e
Jeff Donovan: I enjoy mentors who have taken a different path through life than I had, just so I can see a sort of “what-if” take on my own path.
In larger firms, a mentor who can help you make connections with people outside of your immediate work area is key to moving up the ladder. Otherwise you might end up being the most accomplished fish in a very small pond.
I also look for someone who can help me navigate the political waters.
As a mentor, I look to have open discussions with my protege and get an idea of what they are looking to accomplish from the relationship and which areas they wish to improve. I also keep my eyes open for opportunities inside or outside my organization that would be of interest to my protege and help them advance on their career paths.
22.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:34 pm e
William F DeVault: I would say impatience and genius. The genius to make me want to learn for her or him, the impatience to not let me slack.
When I mentor I try to be patient, but I also try to set the bar as high as I can, so that the protege (protected from all but me) has to give me everything they have got to clear it.
I used to (and from time to time still do) mentor poets. Yes, poets. The first question I’d ask is “For you is poetry a hobby, a diversion, a job, a passion or a religion?”.
If they answered anything but the last two, I’d politely decline. They weren’t poets anymore than a man with a band aid is automatically a doctor.
I demand a lot from my proteges, but I also expect my mentors, when I have them, to expect a lot from me. My best mentors have been those who recognized in me some excellence needing nurturing, as they are motivated by the desire to teach and to enhance.
23.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:34 pm e
Robert Holland: Mentor or tour guide? A tour guide shows you the ropes, directs you to the network of people who get things done, helps you when asked.
A mentor takes an active interest in grooming you for promotion in the company, because this person is not afraid of youth and knows that the best job security is a strong organization. A mentor will pull you aside and redirect you when you are on the wrong track. They will open doors for you and bring you opportunity. They will celebrate your success.
Essentially, a good mentor would be just like a good supervisor, only without the paperwork overhead. The good mentor becomes a partner in your growth and takes some risk in promoting your success.
Good mentors are a rare and valuable find. Good tour guides are everywhere.
24.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:35 pm e
Craig DuMez: Must be sinless and part of the Holy Trinity. I’ve never liked the concept of mentor/protogè. Seems kind of faddish. Whether it be colleague, supervisor, underling, family, stranger — whatever — I try to notice the things they know and do that I don’t. Then learn and adjust accordingly. Want to be a good parent? I’ll talk to people who have clearly done it well (not psychologists). Need advice on a software package? Find the person who knows the most about it. The “position” of mentor is just too broad for me, too much power for anyone.
25.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:36 pm e
Bill Moersch: A mentor is one who has successfully navigated a path and chooses to over time and through commitment share their experiential wisdom with another person. Mentors are teachers at heart understanding that when two people get together, one goes away changed. A mentor is called to positively effect another persons life and gives sacrificially. I am sorry to say, mentors are hard to find these days.
26.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:37 pm e
Marc Siry: A good mentor is someone who is aware of, open about, and celebrates their mistakes.
I can’t learn from someone who has effortlessly skated through life, easily achieving one goal after another- mainly because that person does not exist.
I can gain a wealth of knowledge from someone who has tried, painfully failed, and used those lessons to try again, a little smarter and with more awareness. They’re usually easy to spot- where others brag, they speak softly with a smile. Where others point fingers, they self-evaluate and move on.
I find a mentor’s age to be irrelevant, since it does not always map to the sort of experiences I am describing.
27.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:38 pm e
Kenneth Saxe: For me, outside of the business knowledge, a mentor MUST be someone with integrity. I would not want a mentor that was in any way unscrupulus – what could you truly learn from someone that was?
28.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:39 pm e
Jess Gregory: The best mentor I have had was a book called Monday Morning Leadership. Maybe that is not a real mentor if it isn’t a person, but it helped me grow as a teacher, a colleague, a friend and a community member.
Since it was the agent of change, I figure it shoud get the credit. I don’t imagine a book can access opportunities and contacts, but it helped me make the most of the naturally occuring connections I have made.
29.
July 14th, 2007 at 9:22 am e
Carter Stewart: Thank you for your note. As I said in the comment, I would not be quite the man I am now without those helpful hands that I have met along the way. I also strongly beleive that, in turn, when I have an opportunity to help get someone started then I take it when I can. Even if it is just a one off peice of advice, we all owe that much.
I am interested to read some of the other responses in this thread, but also some others I have seen in the past. It appears that some up-and-coming people confuse a “mentoring programme” with “finding a mentor” which are obviously different things. I was trying to think this through in my mind a bit, but basically there is a difference between a true mentor and a contrived, thouh well meaning, programme put together in PR to get new college recruits.
Also, I can sense an undercurrent of frustration with some poeple as they search for their mentors. How do you say that being yourself, and doing your best, may or may not catch the attention of someone who takes an interest. It is not a birthright to have a mentor. It is something you earn, and a relationship that works both ways. I always just refer to it as being “organic”: if the climate is right then it will grow.
Now that I have a few years under my belt as well, I notice that I am having more and more of an opportunity to share experience with others. I look forward to the day where I can really invest in the advancement of a young person in their life and their work. I confess that some of that comes from the fact that my wife and I have no children, so perhaps a part of it re-directed energy to want to see younger guys coming up do well.
30.
July 14th, 2007 at 9:24 am e
Shmaya David: I had 3 good mentors, and I served as one myself often. What I look for in a mentor is what I try to give:
- Better understanding of the inner workings, the hidden knowledge, the things they don’t teach you at the university.
- The ability to bring wide experience and sound judgment to the issue at hand.
- The will and ability to teach, by challenges more than by solutions, by examples more than by rules.
- Demonstrated faith in the student’s ability to succeed, and a genuin happiness in the student’s success
- The ability to open locked doors and step aside, to direct the student to a “wings factory” rather than an airline, to give a safety belt while believing it will never be necessary.
31.
July 14th, 2007 at 9:25 am e
David B. Bohl: 1. Someone who is extremely resourceful and expeienced.
2. Someone who can offer a fresh perspective and point out your blind spots in a safe environment.
3. A person who is an extension of you that shares your goals
and dreams and reminds you of them at the right time.
4. Someone who tells you the truth all of the time, no matter what. Most people have a vested interest in keeping you happy, sometimes at the
expense of honesty.
32.
July 14th, 2007 at 9:31 am e
Jeremiah Locanas: Temet Nosce. A lot of things just clicked today… I guess I should be thanking a lot of people who I, at one point, felt like screaming toward the sky at The subconscious is an amazingly scary thing…
33.
July 14th, 2007 at 3:08 pm e
Mukund Toro: Adding to what everyone has said.
I was fortunate to have a good mentor when I took up a new responsibility. What made the the mentoring relationship work was his tolerance. He encouraged me to learn. Although I made some mistakes, he never made me feel inadequate for the role.
34.
July 14th, 2007 at 3:09 pm e
Zen Benefiel: I have had many mentors; some for only a moment and some for years. I have had mixed results depending on the arena.
Corporate or organizational structural knowledge and network sharing is a great asset for my mentoring. However, learning how to ask the right questions and view the dynamics of the structure is more important. People negotiate with each other to perform workloads of various scope and technology.Knowing more about leadership allows one to grow in their ability to lead both self and others.
I prefer a mentor as a master teacher, a confidant; one who stretches my ability to conceive of ways to accomplish goals with increasing ethical foundations that can be shared with others in the process. I prefer a mentor that has depth, is able to share insights into human dynamics and problem solving while asking me to consider the same.
Because of my awareness of psychospiritual mechanisms, I also prefer a mentor who has at least an open mind and shares their own personal discoveries in the moment, creating opportunity for discussion and reflection. A mentor needs to be able to share better ways of asking pertinent questions that reveal opportunities to garner support and strength in partnering, moving groups toward achievement and excellence in performance.
Mentors have contributed greatly to my life and well-being, increasing my sense of fulfillment and connectedness to life in general, including other people and the operation of unseen forces all around us. I thoroughly enjoy mentoring that includes practical wisdom and a little wizardry.
35.
July 14th, 2007 at 11:28 pm e
Sujatha Das: A mentor is a person who can help grow another colleue or team member professionally. Therefore, a mentor needs to have good knowledge, wide experience, good analytical skills, observation, networking and patience.
Understanding the requirements of the mentee, researching to know wider perspective of aspects, thinking out of the box, innovativeness, creativity, and ability to show different paths and enabling the mentee to choose the right one themselves are critical aspects that should be there in a Mentor.
Patience and Perseverance are also critical to a Mentor, since one of the key aspects that to be realized is that every person is unique and their wave length to understand, learn, and imbibe are different.
Mentors should look for the “urge to learn” attitude in their mentees. It is very important to strike a comfort level with the mentees in the first few interactions to be able to take on the relationship better.
It is not always true that a mentor may have answers to all queries. But a mentor should definetely be able to collate information and seek information through his good network members.
Last but not the least, trust is the critical factor that needs to be there between Mentor and a Mentee. Without trust, it is difficult to see different perspectives, deliberate and gain feedbacks, and learn and grow in the roles.
36.
July 16th, 2007 at 8:44 am e
Madhu Sameer: I’ve had many mentors over the years…and currently have 2. I look for kindness, support, trust, empathic, nurturing qualities, compatibility, shared values, shared vision of future, basic connection that links the two (dare I call it love for each other? Love of a certain, specific nature!). I dont’ think mentors necessarily need to be the best in their field, because I believe their job is to motivate the mentored person to excel, perhaps even become better than they are…in fact a good mentor, for me, may not even be in that field. It could be someone who just wishes to further my career and motivates me to do my best and helps me at all levels – emotional, physcial,spiritual..
One specific piece that works for me, is that I look for people who are in a specific life stage – where they are beyond competition, and have a *need* to mentor others. Erikson called this a psychosocial stage that every person goes thru in later adulthood. The needs for generativity are high at this age. With such a combination, the mentoring process fulfils the mentoring stage appropriate psychological needs of the mentor as well. The combination is a win win…..
37.
July 16th, 2007 at 8:52 am e
Mike Rafferty: Don’t look for someone based on expertise or technical/professional skillset. The the greatest value that any mentor or coach can offer you will be in the areas of workplace relationships, effective management, effective teamwork, and dealing with difficult colleagues at any level. Most of us have the technical skills we need to succeed from school, but they don’t teach people skills very well. Look for someone who you and others admire as a manager and leader.
38.
July 16th, 2007 at 8:41 pm e
George Best: I have only had one mentor during my business career and the impact of his counsel and guidance continues to guide me in my business dealings 25 years later. It certainly was not easy for him to deal with a young, brash and know-it-all marketing specialist and there were times when I felt that he would give it all up. There was a moment when his frustration had reached its peak that he stated, in a very loud and angry voice, “I will make you an executive even if it kills me”. A few years later when I visited him in hospital after he had had a stroke, I reminded him of his statement and commented that I was working on it. He took it with the humor that it was intended but also because of the bond that had developed between us.
What is important about a mentor is that he or she has had numerous business experiences both in success and in failure. The success provides the glory of the moment and the failure provides the humility. By bringing to you this array of knowledge and experience, a mentor can guide you through your business experiences as though you had experienced them yourself. The council can give you direction in your career, can provide you advice in your decision-making, strategy in the political arena and confidence as turmoil descends upon you. All this adds up to one important ingredient in your development, strength, strength of confidence, strength of will and the strength to continue.
Other characteristics that are extremely important are that the mentor has confidence in you, that he or she believes that you have the will to move forward and has an appreciation of your strengths and your weaknesses. The mentor must be in a position of influence so that your successes are recognized and your failures are understood. For to be successful you must experience failure, failure that guides you to be right the next time.
It must also be recognized that your success is also your mentor’s success. Your ability to learn from his or her counsel adds to their credibility and shows that they are able to select and assist potential leaders within the organization. This not only strengthens their position but also the organizations.
My mentor died a few years ago and it was as if a guiding light had suddenly been extinguished. He did help me tremendously and yes, I grew to appreciate his wisdom, his counsel and most of all his ever presence. Fortunately, for me he did make good on his threat, he made me a very good executive and I will always believe he did not die before he achieved it.
39.
July 17th, 2007 at 11:26 am e
Susan Baird: As someone who has relied heavily on mentors, here’s what I look for. I want someone who is encouraging yet honest, someone who knows more than I do and is passionate about sharing that knowledge. He or she needs to be accessible, but set boundaries, and has to be willing to provide honest feedback, even if it’s not what I want to hear. Most importantly, it needs to be someone I can respect, and someone I can click with.
40.
July 17th, 2007 at 11:27 am e
Chase Crowson: I look for someone who is known for the characteristics I want to possess. I find it also helpful to choose mentors who are similar to me in personality, as they will likely understand my perspective when I approach them for advice. Almost all my successes have come from modeling my mentor(s) when I pursue my goals.
41.
July 17th, 2007 at 5:24 pm e
Gerald Lo: I think a mentor should possess knowledge or experience worthy of study and possible emulation.
I don’t require or expect mentors to be infallible nor perfect, nor especially skilled in cultivating interpersonal, nurturing relationships.
While these may appear to be traits conducive to mentorship, they are in my opinion secondary to those attributes which distinguish examples from everyone else.
A mentor who does not stumble, whether by design or serendipity, is probably not a realistic figure for me to try to copy.
One who can formulate and implement a sustainable corrective plan is someone whose actions I can attempt to learn and adapt to my own temperament and practice.
When I am asked to mentor others, I try to bring substantive guidance and meaningful direction to the relationship.
This does not, in my experience, always mean that I should demonstrate nor preach infinite patience and terminally chronic good humor; such idealized extremes have not been indefinitely sustainable amongst my circle.
Professionalism and tolerance up to a point, with clear corrective and preventive strategies and well defined consequences have seemed to me to be things I’ve seen work, and behaviors I may be able to lend others for their consideration.
As a result, I’ve been privileged to have been called a mentor by several colleagues, a distinction I bear with great humility.
42.
July 18th, 2007 at 11:40 am e
Melissa Pollock: I love this question, as I had 2 amazing mentors that significantly shaped my personal and career development – one while in college, and the other at my first corporate job. I can clearly identify the characteristics that contributed to them creating such a powerful impact on my life…
1. They were each interested in me personally – they allowed me to talk about anything I wanted to debate, philosophize or brainstorm about – what I was challenged by, what I dreamed and hoped for, what I believed in, etc.
2. They both continuously encouraged me. And I don’t just mean the “you can do it” kind of encouragement, but the really sincere, meaningful encouragement where they know you well enough to tell you WHY/HOW they know you’re equipped to succeed.
3. They were lavish with praise. And they praised based on effort, not just on outcome – and to this day, I say to managers when I consult with them around how they can better develop their people, “it doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be progress”.
4. They were marvelous role models themselves – they were creative communicators, and superior people-developers and leaders – I learned so much just by working with them over the years.
5. They shared great life lessons. For example, I tend to be an , and even in my first job, I’d often go to my bossoverachiever, asking for more to do, more responsibility, and what I had to do to be promoted. Many of the types of things I WANTED to do were more of a managerial function, and I lamented about having to wait for advancement in order to execute against some of those more interesting tasks. My mentor shared with me a lesson I have never forgotten, which is that you should never hold back for an official title – you should go ahead and do whatever you see as a benefit, and the advancement will eventually come afterwards. Sure enough, she was right, and I’ve leveraged that knowledge ever since! In fact, I teach managers to develop their sales under the same principle – teach people how to communicate, care and contribute to real solutions for clients, and sales will come as an aftereffect.
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July 19th, 2007 at 1:57 pm e
Bonnie Stone: Fortunately I have had two Mentors in my career, one that I sought out myself and one assigned to me by the organization. The first thing I look for is their passion and willingness to be my Mentor, then do their values and principles align with mine. Always ask the question what is in this for them? I’ve started two Mentor programs for different organizations, one program failed, one was extremely successful – the difference – the committment on the part of the Mentor(s) and the Mentee’s commitment to the process. One of my Mentors was skilled in asking the tough questions and afforded me the opportunity to self-reflect on my actions and decisions, to this day I attribute much of my success to this person.
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July 20th, 2007 at 10:12 am e
Jamie Harding: I had an excellent mentor for about five years during my career. I consider the fact that I had him appear in my professional life as somewhat serendipitous. However, I feel that his belief in me in spite of my inexperience at the time he began supervising me, along with my drive to learn as much as he could teach me, was the root of what became a very profitable business relationship. He simply saw the raw talent in me and was intrigued by the idea that he could develop it; and I saw in him the very real opportunity of mentorship and learning. He helped me learn through my mistakes and held me accountable for them. The way he handled my mistakes and held me accountable was probably the most important part of the mentoring process for me.
My mentor made a HUGE difference in my career development. I truly cannot give him enough credit for taking me under his wing and instructing me. I have hardly had a day in my career since leaving his company in which I have not utilized some piece of wisdom he imparted. I feel that I was very fortunate to have worked for him. I try to “pay it forward” in my current professional life. I think that is critical for those of us who have been fortunate enough to find a good mentor.