Relationships

10 QUALITIES TO SEEK IN A MENTOR

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” ~ Winston Churchill

Mentors have been very instrumental in my professional and personal growth. After being assigned mentors in the capacity of an advisor, I took it on myself to get self appointed mentors. Shout out to ALL my mentors 🙂

In this video, I discussed some of the qualities to seek a in a mentor.

1) Experienced

2) Knowledgeable

3) Approachable

4) Available

5) Resourceful

6) Honest/Real

7) Effective Communicator

8) Constructive Feedback

9) Establish/Maintain Relationships

10) Admit Wrong-Doing

There you have it. Please share yours thoughts on having a mentor.

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  1. To me a mentor is that person that influences the way I think, I would continuously ask my self, what would he/she do in this situation. A mentor is leading by example. All the points you mentioned are valid and I agree with all of them.

  2. Having a mentor is awesome, they are such influential people who help us and motivate us through life. These are amazing qualities to have in a mentor

  3. I’m so grateful I found a mentor. I have been struggling to grow in my career for years, but I’ve found a person who has laid out a path and is supporting me as I go.

  4. I always wanted to get a mentor in my life. That mentor has to be resourceful and honest because I need genius answer and feedback from him/her. However find one that you are comfortable to share your view and thoughts aren’t easy. Yet to explore until I found a real good mentor.

  5. I think you’ve summed up perfectly what a good mentor should be. I agree with Jenny that having a mentor both in perrsonal and professional life sounds rather beneficial!

  6. One of my favourite things when I worked in an agency was to develop my team. I love being a mentor and seeing people gain confidence and skills. A great post.

  7. I still remember my mentors from my workplace. They’re such amazing people- very easy to communicate, always ready to help, and most importantly- they taught me some of the most important life lessons in a way that I can’t thank them more.
    Yes, mentors help in shaping your life in a good way. Hope we all get such good mentors. Believe me, they’re a blessing.

  8. My mentor has been instrumental in pushing me to take some really scary changes lately; mostly through just listening to me talk out my dilemmas and challenging my preconceptions and mindset.
    I definitely think having a mentor is so crucial – especially if they can offer a perspective different to your own.

  9. I have definitely had a hard time finding a mentor that meets these qualities and is also available. That tends to be where I have the hardest time.

  10. Our desire to succeed can be overwhelming as it keeps us awake at night. But there’s one common issue that undermines most of us with high aspirations: dealing with major obstacles and we need help from someone to act as a mentor when faced with such challenges to provide some advice or to help us navigate the tribulations or trials.
    From: Calleigh K

  11. These are some great qualities you have mentioned. A mentor can make so much difference in how and what a person becomes.

  12. These qualities are so important when it comes to having a mentor – I always look for these when seeking advice from someone

  13. Reading your list makes me want a mentor! However, I’m afraid that the innermost part of me would always be wary and too cautious to rely on someone. I love the concept, though! It must be heavenly to have such a person in your life.

  14. Definitely these are all the qualities I too would look for in a mentor. They need to be someone who you can refer too, who is knowledgeable and would be able to guide and support in your role.

  15. Getting a mentor is a great choice especially if you’re in need of some guidance about a career path or about a certain part of your life. I think these qualities are important to look for.

  16. Awesome qualities to look for in a mentor. I love that you included number 10, it’s something that most people cannot accept especially when they’re in a position where their job is to guide and teach you.

  17. I love the idea of a having or seeking a mentor. And to do it carefully. Your list is very accurate and I agree with all of qualifications you outlined. Some of the most profound mentors I have had in my lifetime are those that are good listeners and are easily approachable, because honesty and openness leads to effective mentorship.

  18. Available is so important as you don’t want someone really knowledgable if you’re never able to get in contact with them x

  19. I always try to remember the importance of a mentor but I seem to forget to actually use that in life and seek for one. That video was really helpful in terms of finding a good one!

  20. You did a great job at listing the qualities someone would need in a mentor. I like that you mentioned honest/real because I think it’s important to have trust with mentors.

  21. Absolutely agree with you on this. If I find a mentor, I would definitely seek these qualities in him/her.

  22. Great discussion, I am a fan of that principle too – We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” ~ Winston Churchill. And also I believe that we cannot give what we do not have. That’s why experience and knowledge are very essential.

  23. For me a mentor is someone who can walk the talk and who has valuable life experience. I think many, many older people would make excellent mentors for just this reason.

  24. I love this idea, I think finding a mentor should be encouraged at a young age. It promotes great learning opportunities and knowledge that gets passed down and only grows from there.

  25. I think a good mentor knows how to be transparent about his or her feedback. Someone who is realistic and goal-driven!

  26. I love to both be a mentor and to have a mentor. I feel that both are very important. Both positions can bring so much growth for everyone.

  27. I agree with all you have mentioned. For me to take a mentor seriously, he/she has to come correct and with receipts. I need to be sure you have the right experience.

  28. I can’t speak from the point of having a mentor but I wholeheartedly agree with the qualities. If they dont have those, what good are they?

    1. Hahahaha, that is a great question. There are some career-appointed mentors out here that organizations may appoint for professional development. However, sometimes I find that those people are not always properly screened and it ends up not helping anyone especially the mentee and mentor.

  29. For me it is important to find the approach towards your chosen mentor is ok and for them to not make you feel that you can not go to them for support,

  30. Great video. I definitely think that being an effective communicator is a must-have trait for a mentor. It’s so important if you want to build trust and really connect with someone.

  31. I’ve been a mentor myself when I was a manager in a training company. I think a mentorship offers brilliant support and training too

  32. I have always appreciated mentors who are supportive, knowledgeable and able to offer constructive feedback. But agree with all the qualities listed

  33. I believe that honestly is the best policy. So when it comes to finding a mentor, that will be the number one quality that I would look for too.

  34. A mentor, above all, has to be supportive, but also honest, even if the honesty may not be what you want to hear.

    1. Yes, yes and yes. These are qualities that you can easily identify in others if those are qualities one possesses as well.

  35. It’s crazy because I’m actually in search of a mentor. But haven’t been able to connect with anyone yet. This guide will definitely help. Great post!

  36. These are great qualities of a mentor. I have a mentor i lookup to. Being real is one distinctive feature every mentor should have..,

  37. I am a mentor and for sure, I agree with all these qualities that a mentor must possess. I especially agree that a mentor must be approachable and knowledgeable; this will make one’s mentoree find a pillar to lean on even when things get tough; and not only a pillar, but also someone to get direction from in one way or another.

  38. Having a mentor can be so supportive, and having a mentor with the right qualities is key. Confidence plays a big part of that, but also a big understanding. An important role with much responsibility.

  39. These are super amazing tips, I am searching for a career mentor, right now, to help me with some projects I am working on.

  40. I never really thought about having a mentor or saw the advantage until I watched this. It sounds like a very useful idea!

  41. I’ve been lucky enough to have had some really great mentors throughout my life. Not just in my personal life, but also my career. In each case, they had all of the qualities you mentioned above, but most of all they were smart as well as kind. x

  42. I have never had a mentor in any capacity but have fulfilled the role at work. These are very important qualities to have

  43. You’ve listed some great qualities to seek in a mentor! Luckily, I have met few of the most amazing mentors in my life and they all have transformed my life completely!

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