Everyone Deserves a Mentor
Wrriten by Tony Aloise
I believe that everyone deserves and even needs a mentor. This is especially true when we start something new in life as I did when I retired.
There are many life roles that have the opportunity to mentor including parents, managers or friends. These roles are broader than mentoring but hopefully regularly include it.
Mentors have characteristics and skills such as active listening, offering hope and encouragement and providing affirmation on self-worth and accomplishments. Mentors build people up and pull them toward their own dreams. Relationships are not based on expectations, instead mentors seek to understand and support the mentee’s life purpose and goals.
Some mentoring relationships are formal, e.g. mentoring someone in their career or supporting a teen such as at Ladies of Leadership. The informal relationships occur spontaneously with people in our lives with a simple shift in attitude where we remove expectations and demands and put the other person first, in their context.
Many mentoring relationships are unstructured, e.g. we ask about and support the other person’s priorities and needs. Some relationships are structured as we shift to a life coach role or adviser, e.g. help with a specific problem or school or job application.
Mentoring relationships are two-way; the mentor and mentee both grow. If done well, it will feel rewarding to both parties. I am thankful for the people who continue to provide me 1:1 guidance. Do you have a mentor in your life? Do you want one?
About the Author
I am passionate about all things mentoring. I believe that “mentoring is the most powerful skillset a human being can possess.” I believe that volunteer mentors, managers, parents and friends become better people when we add new approaches and skills to our everyday relationships. These skills have already changed my life and continue to do so as I interact with many amazing people.
I am equally passionate about the topic of Purpose. This word guides us to know ourselves deeply, to have an intentional life plan and to live to our potential – all important to mentoring.
I am a dad of four amazing adult children, a grandfather of five, a very active volunteer and a retiree.