What is mentoring?
Mentoring is simply the process of getting alongside someone to support them in their personal, spiritual or professional development.
Mentoring takes many forms and there are various types of mentors. A mentor is somewhere between a 'trusted friend', 'a guide' and a 'counselor'.
Mentoring is a tried and tested process and works well in most environments -- school, professional, personal and spiritual. Most successful people have had mentors at some stage.
Begin a mentor program with the end in mind
Know
- Why you want a mentor
- What you want to achieve through mentoring
- How you will measure whether the mentoring has been a success
When you are looking for a mentor, find someone who
- is further along the road than you are
- operates from the same set of values
- you can relate well to
- is readily available when you are
You need a mentor who
- is available over the phone for a chat or face to face
- is enthusiastic about the mentoring process and your development
- will encourage you and celebrate your achievements
- keeps you accountable to meet deadlines
- is well connected and can help you to access other people when necessary
- helps you to set realistic yet stretching goals with deadlines and
- develop strategies to help you to achieve your goals
- gives constructive feedback
- helps you to overcome obstacles and use failure as feedback
- is willing to share their resources with you and to help you develop your own.
- inspires, encourages and motivates you to be and do more
Of course, some mentor programs are better than others. Do your homework before choosing a mentor program. Get to know your intended mentor, either personally or through their work. Talk to other people they have mentored and ask whether they can recommend the program, and why it is worth your time, money and effort. The best proof of the benefits of a mentor program come from what the mentees have to say about it.
A good mentoring program will provide systematic training, shorten the learning process and empower you to grow and develop. That is what makes it a powerful tool, enabling you to reach your potential and to progress more quickly than you would on your own.
Before you get started with the mentoring process make sure you know what to expect, what is expected of you and how you will work together.
Mentoring is one of the most effective ways for you to grow and develop and become the person you want to be. Seriously consider finding a mentor to help you to reach for your dreams and take the next steps.
I now offer mentoring for people who want to get started on the Internet, get more visitors to their website or use articles to market their business. If this sounds like something that you need, you can contact me at lynnelee dot com for details.
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