Previously, we have discussed how to find a mentor in your industry, but with the start of the new year and beginning of January, which is National Mentoring Month, we are going to take another, more in-depth look at mentoring, starting off with how to be a great mentor.

If you already have a mentor, then you already know about the many benefits. Mentors are someone that you can talk to about your problems, your goals, and your successes. A mentor can lend you their wisdom and insight that they have gained from their experiences, so that you learn from them. Getting knowledgeable and candid feedback from a mentor is a priceless resource for you and your business matters.

One of the most important things about mentorship is that it is almost never too early to begin mentoring someone else, even if you yourself have never had a mentor. The key to being a great mentor is not about there being a big age difference between the mentor and mentee; it really just comes down to having experiences that the mentee does not have. Perhaps you have started a business before and whether or not it was successful, that is a unique experience that many people do not have and you probably learned a lot from it. This alone could make you a great mentor to someone considering being an entrepreneur. You can talk about what went wrong and what went right, discuss what you would have done different now that you have the luxury of hindsight.

In order to be a great mentor, be sure that you make yourself available to your mentee. If you are too difficult to get ahold of or to schedule with, it is going to be hard to develop a good relationship. Make sure you let your mentee know that their questions are welcome and always try to provide thorough feedback that is constructive. Do not be overly negative and remember that while you do want to help your mentee avoid making mistakes and overcoming them, mistakes should not be pointed out all the time and they can even be an important learning tool for your mentee.

There are many benefits to being a mentor too. As many tutors and teachers can attest to, teaching is one of the best ways to learn. By imparting your knowledge on someone else, you are giving yourself an opportunity to think through something again from a new perspective of being a mentor/teacher. This is greater understanding is tested and ultimately strengthened by the questions and fresh perspective that will come from your mentee. Your mentee may be able to teach you a thing or two about something they have more knowledge or experience in, giving you a chance to grow. Perhaps even by virtue of their youth, they may be well-versed in the newest aspects of your field or how technology can be used in it, giving you some new skills.

Overall, mentorship is a powerful tool for mutual personal development that you should consider sooner rather than later to improve yourself and in turn improve your ability to reach your business goals.

If you need legal assistance with your next business goal, do not hesitate to reach out to the Law Office of E.C. Lewis, PC, home of your Denver Business Attorney, Elizabeth Lewis, at 720-258-6647 or email her at elizabeth.lewis@eclewis.com.