Tips for Becoming a Great Mentor

Through mentoring, you have the opportunity to guide a young person in a positive way and make a difference in their life. This can be an incredibly positive and uplifting experience for both you and your mentee. During your time together, you might even learn a thing or two from the teen you mentor! The act of supporting another individual can be incredibly meaningful, but it also comes with unique challenges. Considering this, you may be wondering not only how to be a good mentor, but a great one. If you are looking to take your mentoring skills to the next level, here are some ideas to get you started.

Be Open

A mentor shouldn’t be an authoritative figure, but a reliable friend. How can you be more of a friend to your mentees? One great way to build a friendship is to open up yourself. Think about how you can share your life and impart knowledge from your own experiences. While it’s important to remember your role and purpose, there’s no need to be overly formal and reserved with your mentees. Get down on their level and see the world from their point of view. If you can be honest and forthcoming, they will be willing to open up with you in return.

Build Trust

When young people confide in you, they want to know the information they choose to share is in good hands. Breaking that trust by responding in a negative or unhelpful way can dissolve the mentor-mentee relationship. Of course, some situations may require the involvement of others such as parents and guardians. If the individual you’re mentoring is in any kind of trouble and communicates that to you, it’s your responsibility to ensure they get the help they need. However, when it comes to day-to-day conversations, your mentees should be able to come to you without judgement.

Get to Know Your Mentees

At some point in our lives, someone will come to us for guidance, support or advice. Consider the important relationships in your life. When you provided that kind of support to someone else in the past, was it effective? If so, why was it successful? Almost certainly, it was because they felt comfortable receiving support from someone they knew and respected. Correspondingly, you were able to give your friend or family member support because you knew what would work for them. Getting to know your mentees and spending valuable time with them will help you help them.

Become a Great Mentor with Lead4Life, Inc.

Do you want to become a great mentor? Visit our website and check out our mentoring initiative for more information, or contact us at 240-499-8949. At Lead4Life, we strive to empower every participant in our programs so that they may find their purpose, achieve their goals, and become poised, productive members of their community. We advocate for those in need and assist each and every individual by providing compassionate education and valuable resources and tools so that they can make the very best decisions and develop important life, social, and competency skills.