The modern business world could always use more decent, professional, and knowledgeable mentors, but do you have what it takes to truly be the next one? It’s important to take the time to consider the way you work and interact with others, for it’s not just about how you feel, but how you make others feel in return. With that in mind, here are five signs that indicate a great business mentor in the making.
You Provide Constructive Feedback and Guidance
It’s important in any business environment to be accepting of constructive criticism and feedback to better improve your work quality and efficiency, but do you deliver this type of professional guidance yourself? If you tend to clam up, bark out insensitive put-downs, or generally not concern yourself with the quality of results of coworkers, then the last thing you should be is a mentor.
You Motivate Others and Encourage Opinions
Motivation is key in order to progress further and feel inspired — we all need it every so often. If you welcome the input of employees, truly respect their work ethic, and try to encourage them to do their best, it demonstrates that you care about more than just your own wellbeing and productivity. Motivational employees can turn almost any toxic and stressful situation into a stimulating challenge.
You’re Interested in Sharing Knowledge and Skills
Perhaps people come to you to request the skilled hand of an expert, or you enjoy teaching different skills or techniques to staff. Or, maybe it’s a passion of yours not to keep useful knowledge bottled up, and you enjoy sharing it with others. Either way, if you prefer to politely educate and teach new things to others, it’s a given that there is a hidden passion to mentor within you.
You Possess a Positive and Respectful Attitude
It’s crucial to treat others the way you want to be treated, and to be a great mentor means that you must approach every situation with kindness, respect, and positivity. If you are willing to respect each and every person around you and not contribute towards drama or a negative atmosphere, then you may be the guiding hand that a business needs to shake off the dust and be a real success.
You’re Enthusiastic and Enjoy What You Do
You’ll never be able to efficiently guide and mentor others if you don’t care about what you do. If the career you’re in feels simply as a means of amassing income and you feel like nothing more than a number on a spreadsheet, then it isn’t the right environment. However, if you love what you do and are fit to burst with enthusiasm over every little detail pertaining to it, then others may consider it a privilege to learn from you and apply newfound energy to their own work.
A truly great business mentor needs to be decent, positive, enthusiastic, motivational, and possessive of a passion for teaching and politely guiding others. Whether you are a successful entrepreneur who wants to guide others to the same achievements, a retiree who wants to help the next generation start off on the right foot, or you simply have a passion for helping others succeed in business, you would make a great business mentor.
