Not every successful person should be your mentor, there are qualities to consider before choosing a good mentor. People differ and so are there strengths and weaknesses. You cannot make a successful swimmer your business mentor except your business is about training swimmers. Even if that’s the case, a rich successful track record isn’t enough. So what other qualities should you look out for?
1. Availability.
Some successful people are so busy that they have no time to train others. A mentor should be willing to avail of time for you.
Read also: How to get your desired mentor
2. Communication.
Is one thing to know something, is another thing to effectively communicate it. A mentor should have a successful track record but must as well know how to pass down the principles, strategies, and secrets that made him successful. If he can’t teach or mirror it, then you may want to consider more options.
3. Caring but stern.
A mentor should be able to care, understand your effort, and pat you at the back when you actualize some goals but that’s not the norm. He’s to stretch you into doing more and look you in the eye to tell you the truth others can’t tell you. He sieves out the sentiment from the real thing. A mentor is to bring out the best in you and that’s only done by pushing you out of a comfort zone. More than care expect the push.
Read also: How to benefit from business mentorship.
4. Patience.
A mentor should be patient. He understands it’s a growth process that never happens overnight but over time. He understands you have a weakness and is patient enough to see you grow despite that. Patience is one of the qualities of a good mentor.
5. Deep interest.
He should have a genuine interest in your business and most especially in you. The deep interest could be revealed by the kind of question he asks. The time he gives to your business, however, you too must understand he has tasks before him and personal issues to resolve, you can choose to offer help to him. Deep interest in him will reciprocate the same.
6. Right values.
Check out your values and how it matches or contradicts with his. What are your values? You wouldn’t want to have someone who doesn’t live by the same value to mentor you. While people have different values and principles that govern their lives, it easier to tell yourself to learn the lesson and discard the contradicting values. It doesn’t work that way. No one wants to see another ride on his values or neglect his basic principles. You can’t cope for long and can’t fake it for long. If it doesn’t align, let go. Some people break some right and moral business values and get away with it. You might not succeed borrowing the same, even if you do, for how long will you without repercussions.
A quality of a good mentor is someone that has the right values.
Read also: The mind of a succeeding entrepreneur
7. Trustworthy.
Is trust important to him? How well do his words align with his actions? Do you think of him as someone who can be trusted and does he see you as one who can be trusted? Business is only as fast as the speed of trust as stated by Stephen Covey Jnr in his book The speed of trust.
Read also: 4 Essential pillars to gaining trust in business.
8. Willingness to share knowledge.
Some people can be insecure in giving out their business secrets. How willing is your mentor to expose you to the same secrets that built him? These secrets might not come if you don’t know how to benefit from mentorship. It might not be that he’s reserved about some things, it might be you who doesn’t know how to spark up conversations to your favour.
9. Approach-ability.
You should have easy access to your mentor when you really need him. This is one of the reasons why he’s your mentor. Anyone can choose to get mentored through books, but there’s more to mentorship than books.
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10. Good listener.
Is one thing to listen in order to understand and is another to wait patiently to talk when it is your turn to or when the other person is done. Most people don’t listen, they’re the only patient to allow you to talk. A mentor should be a good listener, who deeply wants to understand instead of assuming he understands and wants to quickly provide solutions.
This is a quality to consider before choosing a mentor.
Read also: How to choose a good mentor
A person might not have all these but is best to choose what matters most to you and go by it. You can feel free to contact us for a great mentorship or coaching experience.
These are the 10 Qualities to consider before choosing a good mentor.
