The Top 10 Qualities of an Exceptional Mentor
Mentoring relationships provide employees with someone who will share their professional knowledge and expertise in the field. The mentor serves as an objective confidant and advisor with whom the mentee may discuss work-related concerns with a wider view of career development and planning.
A mentor should serve as a role model and source of inspiration, information and experience from which the mentee can draw a wide range of advice to help him or her achieve success in both their current role and their longer term career.
The intention is that the mentor provides guidance, support and encouragement and the mentee responds enthusiastically and positively by taking these learnings onboard and applying them in ways that optimize success within the organization.
A mentor should serve as a role model and source of inspiration, information and experience from which the mentee can draw a wide range of advice to help him or her achieve success in both their current role and their longer term career.
The intention is that the mentor provides guidance, support and encouragement and the mentee responds enthusiastically and positively by taking these learnings onboard and applying them in ways that optimize success within the organization.
Mentoring should be conducted in a one to one relationship within an agreed schedule of regular meetings – whether face to face, online or by telephone phone. It is possible to conduct mentoring groups, only this approach creates a different kind of relational dynamic and may cause mentees to hold back from sharing personal challenges more easily proffered in a private setting.
A mentee should not, ideally, be a direct report to the mentor but should have a mentor who is at least two grade levels above them to assure they receive guidance from someone with adequate experience and maturity.
The mentor is there to guide, encourage and inspire the mentee’s own initiative rather than to dictate or demand a certain course of action. The mentee will inevitably take action on the recommendations of the mentor out of their genuine respect but they should never feel pressured to act in a particular way.
A mentee should not, ideally, be a direct report to the mentor but should have a mentor who is at least two grade levels above them to assure they receive guidance from someone with adequate experience and maturity.
The mentor is there to guide, encourage and inspire the mentee’s own initiative rather than to dictate or demand a certain course of action. The mentee will inevitably take action on the recommendations of the mentor out of their genuine respect but they should never feel pressured to act in a particular way.
The Ten Core Characteristics of an Magnificent Mentor
An effective mentor possesses certain essential characteristics. Whilst each will possess particular and unique traits and emphases of their own, the following qualities are highly desirable for anyone who has a mentoring role.
1. Successful …and enjoying it
An effective mentor is one who has achieved evident professional success, has clear self-confidence, experiences professional satisfaction and, crucially, is willing to invest the time to share what they’ve learned with others.
An effective mentor is one who has achieved evident professional success, has clear self-confidence, experiences professional satisfaction and, crucially, is willing to invest the time to share what they’ve learned with others.
2. Focused on the Mentee’s success within the organisation
A mentoring must be knowledgeable, compassionate, able to teach and also available (ideally in person, but also by phone and/or email) to help answer whatever questions they might have. An exceptional mentor is committed to helping their mentee find success and satisfaction in their chosen profession, without feeling any threat from their successes, and act as an advocate of both the mentee and the industry they are involved in.
A mentoring must be knowledgeable, compassionate, able to teach and also available (ideally in person, but also by phone and/or email) to help answer whatever questions they might have. An exceptional mentor is committed to helping their mentee find success and satisfaction in their chosen profession, without feeling any threat from their successes, and act as an advocate of both the mentee and the industry they are involved in.
3. Committed to the mentoring relationship
An exceptional mentor will recognise that this arrangement is first and foremost a relationship – not merely a place to exchange knowledge. They must take this relationship seriously, genuinely caring and wanting to help those under their care become their very best. They welcome the chance to share their experiences and feel invested in the success of the mentee - taking pride in whatever progress they achieve along the way.
An exceptional mentor will recognise that this arrangement is first and foremost a relationship – not merely a place to exchange knowledge. They must take this relationship seriously, genuinely caring and wanting to help those under their care become their very best. They welcome the chance to share their experiences and feel invested in the success of the mentee - taking pride in whatever progress they achieve along the way.
4. Provides guidance and constructive feedback
A mentor is willing to share the perspectives, experiences and insights that have led to their own success and can do this in a way that inspires and encourages the mentee – rather than intimidates them. They appreciate the ongoing effort of the mentee and empowers him/her through balanced feedback and positive reinforcement. This helps the mentee identify their current strengths and weaknesses and learn how to use these to make themselves more successful in the field.
A mentor is willing to share the perspectives, experiences and insights that have led to their own success and can do this in a way that inspires and encourages the mentee – rather than intimidates them. They appreciate the ongoing effort of the mentee and empowers him/her through balanced feedback and positive reinforcement. This helps the mentee identify their current strengths and weaknesses and learn how to use these to make themselves more successful in the field.
5. Exhibits excellent communication skills
A mentor must possess excellent communication skills and is able to adjust their communication to the personality style of the mentee. Communication, of course, is a two-way street, so it’s essential that the mentor is not just a good teacher but a good listener too. This way they enable the mentee to articulate their specific challenges and adequately address their issues all the while fostering self-analysis, critical-thinking and a continual results-focused orientation.
A mentor must possess excellent communication skills and is able to adjust their communication to the personality style of the mentee. Communication, of course, is a two-way street, so it’s essential that the mentor is not just a good teacher but a good listener too. This way they enable the mentee to articulate their specific challenges and adequately address their issues all the while fostering self-analysis, critical-thinking and a continual results-focused orientation.
6. Willingness to share skills, knowledge and expertise
A good mentor is willing to teach what they know and is enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge with their mentee. They are able to accept the mentee where they currently are in their professional development and have a clear picture of what it is they can do to progress and succeed. Good mentors can remember what it was like starting out in the field and are able to recall the issues they faced at each level of their own development.
A good mentor is willing to teach what they know and is enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge with their mentee. They are able to accept the mentee where they currently are in their professional development and have a clear picture of what it is they can do to progress and succeed. Good mentors can remember what it was like starting out in the field and are able to recall the issues they faced at each level of their own development.
7. Respected and trusted by those in all levels of the organization
Mentors are recognised by peers, subordinates and superiors alike as being competent, resourceful, perceptive, dedicated and effective in their own role and career. Only respectful people become truly respected. An exceptional mentor thus demonstrates an evident respect for their mentee, recognising that they are a unique individual who will benefit from being nurtured and guided, rather than pushed or driven. Mentors who have not garnered this kind of respect will have little genuine influence and those without a reputation of being trustworthy will lack the necessary ability to inspire their mentee towards their goals.
Mentors are recognised by peers, subordinates and superiors alike as being competent, resourceful, perceptive, dedicated and effective in their own role and career. Only respectful people become truly respected. An exceptional mentor thus demonstrates an evident respect for their mentee, recognising that they are a unique individual who will benefit from being nurtured and guided, rather than pushed or driven. Mentors who have not garnered this kind of respect will have little genuine influence and those without a reputation of being trustworthy will lack the necessary ability to inspire their mentee towards their goals.
8. Motivates others by setting a good example. Acts as a positive role model
The ultimate success of being a good mentor is to have a mentee who look up to their mentors and can see themselves filling the mentor's role in the future. By showing the mentee what it really takes in the field, an exceptional mentor demonstrates the specific behaviours and actions required to become productive and successful. ‘Example is leadership’, as Albert Schweitzer rightly stated.
The ultimate success of being a good mentor is to have a mentee who look up to their mentors and can see themselves filling the mentor's role in the future. By showing the mentee what it really takes in the field, an exceptional mentor demonstrates the specific behaviours and actions required to become productive and successful. ‘Example is leadership’, as Albert Schweitzer rightly stated.
9. Has a positive attitude with evident enthusiasm for the field
A good mentor must possesses a positive attitude about the goals and objectives of mentoring. An exceptional mentor believes that the mentee can substantially benefit from participation in ongoing mentoring and will adjust their mentoring style to help the mentee receive the teachings and demonstrations provided. A mentor must exude their own personal enthusiasm for their own role and genuinely value the role and potential of the mentee. The mentor’s enthusiasm in this is something that is invariably ‘caught’ by the mentee and this will result in the mentee feeling that their job has purpose, meaning and potential.
A good mentor must possesses a positive attitude about the goals and objectives of mentoring. An exceptional mentor believes that the mentee can substantially benefit from participation in ongoing mentoring and will adjust their mentoring style to help the mentee receive the teachings and demonstrations provided. A mentor must exude their own personal enthusiasm for their own role and genuinely value the role and potential of the mentee. The mentor’s enthusiasm in this is something that is invariably ‘caught’ by the mentee and this will result in the mentee feeling that their job has purpose, meaning and potential.
10. Values ongoing learning and personal growth
Good mentors shared what they’ve learned. Exceptional mentors, far from believing they have attained all they need to know, ensure they are continually learning and furthering the development of both their knowledge and their skills. In this way they not only have an ever-growing body of knowledge to pass on, they also set an example of life-long learning.
Good mentors shared what they’ve learned. Exceptional mentors, far from believing they have attained all they need to know, ensure they are continually learning and furthering the development of both their knowledge and their skills. In this way they not only have an ever-growing body of knowledge to pass on, they also set an example of life-long learning.
Forged in the fires of trial and fashioned on the anvil of experience, these core characteristics are essential for anyone wishing to step up to the role of mentor within any organisation. These are the essential traits that need to be borne in mind when mentoring mentors, so that knowledge is shared within the organisation, skills are rapidly acquired and a genuinely supportive, nurturing culture is established for long term individual and organisational success.