I enjoy mentoring very much, and to mentor younger people is something I will continue to do, because I see so much potential in this generation, and they need so much support, to be pointed in the right direction, and to help them unlock their potential. When young people in turn pay it forward, their impact will be greatly magnified. That is what we believe strongly in Voices Of Asia.
A mentor is a person that helps guide others and acts as their role model. Mentoring is important for society because it allows these these young people to learn hands-on knowledge and skills from others who were once in their shoes and were able to create success in their lives. A mentor can greatly improve the lives of these young people and can help connect them to others in the same industry. Everyone can benefit from having a mentor, someone to offer them insight and guidance while observing what they’re doing wrong and write.
However, aside from learning so much from your mentees, do you know that being a mentor is also very beneficial for yourself when it comes to achieving your own dreams and goals? Being a mentor helps you put things into perspective on how you can grow from your skills and knowledge to become even more successful.
Here are 3 skills you will develop further as a mentor;
1. Communicating your knowledge and skills for success to others
As a mentor, you’re supposed to be an expert in your field, niche or industry. And if you’re not quite an expert, then you should be experienced and knowledgeable about a topic. Sure, you know what it takes to make it in your certain role, but as a mentor, you’ll have to communicate it to another person who you are guiding. You’ll need to adequately communicate how you got to where you are now, what you’re doing and provide guidance to another person in ways they can understand and emulate. You need to clearly communication any lessons you’ve learned along the way, intricate details about your job and strategies you’ve created to someone who knows absolutely nothing about it.
2. Be compassionate while still being objective and fair
Being a mentor is different from being a friend. Sure, you want them to be successful like you, but this sort of relationship doesn’t mean you have to be their buddy and socialize with them as you would a friend. You’re a professional contact and so you should treat the relationship professionally. Also, make sure that they don’t have some hidden agenda or any ulterior motives because you don’t owe anyone any favors and vice versa. You two are equals and respect each other. But at the same time, you can still be compassionate about the relationship. Gain their trust and be authentic, while modeling positive behavior.
To be honest, it really reminds me of my role as a father which requires me to parent compassionately but in the right way to bring up the best in my children.
3. Be approachable and available
A good mentor is one that is approachable. Your mentee should feel comfortable coming to you for advice. And although you aren’t getting paid to be a mentor, you still need to make your schedule open for them. This doesn’t mean letting them dictate your schedule, but being open to seeing them and fitting them in. They should primarily work around your schedule though, but you should also make yourself available to them whenever you can. And when you are, make it a point to really listen to them with an open-mind while still providing advice and guidance.
Being a mentor is not difficult, being a good one is. In the course of my work and role in Voices Of Asia, we often focus on mentor’s development journey, where we believe that firstly, you need to learn and be better even as a mentor, secondly, you will have so much to benefit as a mentor yourself.
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Kelvin Kong, Founder & Mentor, Voices Of Asia & Senior Vice-President, Learning & Development, Lazada Group
