How to Maximize the Benefits of Mentoring

Honesty, integrity and trust: The keys to successful mentorship

"What can I do to maximize the benefits of mentoring, when I am the mentor or the person, who is being mentored?"

Mentoring and being mentored are two sides of the same coin with respect to mentorship. One side pertains to the role and responsibility of the mentor and the other refers to the role and responsibility of the person, who is under the mentorship of the mentor or is being mentored. Mentorship can be described as a teacher-student relationship, although the roles may not always be clearly defined.

Here are suggestions about how you can maximize the benefits of mentoring.

Take your mentorship seriously.

Attempting to mentor someone, who does not take being mentored seriously, makes it difficult for the mentor to do his or her task. Be aware that the mentor is there primarily to assist you and will do so, but your full co-operation is required in order for the mentorship to succeed. It is always in the best interest of the person who is mentoring you, to have you succeed. When you succeed, so does your mentor.

Treat your mentor with respect.

How you treat your mentor, may determine whether your mentorship is successful. No matter who you are or what your academic background is, there are always new things that you can learn. If you are in the position of being mentored,  ie. a mentor has been assigned to you, treat this person with respect. In turn, you will be respected. Mutual respect is essential for any mentorship to be truly effective.

Make certain that you are available to be mentored.

Once your mentoring relationship has been established, it is important that you are available to be mentored. If your availability is questionable, your mentor may be assigned to another mentorship. When your mentor realizes that you are going to cooperate with him or her fully, he or she will take the mentoring role more seriously. Both of you will benefit from this. If one time of the day or evening, does not work well for you, discuss this with your mentor and work out a time that is more appropriate. If you cannot be available on a certain date, make certain that you advise your mentor ahead of time. Time is valuable.

Find out what your mentor's expectations are before you begin.

Quite often, those who have the privilege of being mentored do not know what the mentor expects from

them. There may be guidelines that need to be clarified. If you do not have set guidelines, when you first

start, ask your mentor to set some for you. He or she may think that you know what is involved. Do not be

afraid to ask pertinent questions, throughout the period of your mentorship. Asking questions shows your

mentor, that you are seriously interested.

Advise your mentor of what your expectations are, with respect to the mentorship.

Your mentor may not know what you expect from the mentorship. It is in your best interest to spend time discussing them with him or her. Everyone has different expectations with respect to mentoring, or being mentored.

Make certain that your computer has been set up properly for online mentoring.

Online mentoring requires a degree of computer knowledge and a functional computer. You may need to install new programs on your computer. Find out if these can be downloaded online, at no cost or if you are required to purchase specific programs. Ask your mentor where these may be obtained, if you are not able to find them. Have your computer checked by a computer technician before you start, so that you know it is working properly. Advise your mentor, if you are having problems with your computer or certain programs. If you need to have further technological assistance, your mentor may be able to advise you, as to where the necessary assistance may be obtained. If you require more advanced computer skills or training, seek someone who will be able to assist you in this respect.

Allow time for your mentor relationship to work out.

Many times, people give up on mentorship because there are issues that need to be resolved from the beginning. Rather than giving up immediately because of problems, work at resolving all of the areas of concern with your mentor, whenever it is possible. If you are not able to resolve them, seek the advice of someone else who is able to assist you with an appropriate resolution. Allow sufficient time for the mentoring relationship to work out.

Remember that honesty, integrity and trust, are the keys to successful mentorship.

There is no such thing as a perfect relationship between mentors and those who they mentor, but basing a mentorship on a proper foundation, will ensure that it will stand the test of time. Mutual honesty, integrity and trust are basic essentials for successful relationships.

"How to maximize the benefits of mentoring?" is a question that every mentor and person being mentored, must ask himself or herself. Because each situation is different, mentorship is unique for each individual.

Remember that mentorship is not something new or different, though it may be online mentoring. While this can present a challenge for you and your mentor, it should be an exciting and interesting time for both of you.

Learn to appreciate your mentor and enjoy being mentored.