When did the thought of becoming a mentor or mentee first occur to you? Was it linked to a specific event in your life? Did it come on its own? Or maybe someone invited you to this role, saying you are a great fit for it?
YES REALLY, if you want to share your potential and the resources you have not just out of a sense of duty or professional dependence, but because you want to help others develop their mentoring skills, it’s a sign that this is THE right time.
Also when you know how to enjoy the successes of others as you do your own. Yes, if you feel that your pool of accomplishments is already large, that you can support Mentee’s in achieving their own successes, and that watching their progress will make you happy, then try a new role. It will be another challenge! This time, however, you will use your energy and experience from completed business, managerial and management projects to support others in developing and building professional and life success.
Or maybe you lack enthusiasm for work, you have no satisfaction from what you do, you are overwhelmed by your duties – their repetitiveness and lack of motivation…? Symptoms of job burnout are a sign that it is worth changing something in your life. Maybe it’s just the right time to divide your attention, interests and responsibility to develop yourself and others? Mentoring may turn out to be a hit in this case! You will gain new energy, your commitment and motivation will increase, and your mentoring successes will be a reason for genuine joy.
If you want to do mentoring, consider one more point: the best option is to mentor someone who is two levels below you in the professional hierarchy or development (roughly 3-5 years back). Working with such people, on the one hand, you won’t have to remind yourself of yourself from 15 years ago, while on the other hand, you will avoid suggesting solutions that are appropriate to your work style, all the more so if they have proven successful in your recent past. Remember that your successes will not help the other party!
