Understanding The Challenges Faced By Mentors And Identifying The Solution To Fix It

A mentor is an individual who provides support, direction, and assistance to a mentee in the past. In recent times, the word ‘mentoring’ has been redefined by several notches. Consensus would dictate that mentoring isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Like any other activity that requires responsibility, mentoring comes with its share of challenges. In other words, mentoring isn’t a trivial task and requires work and effort.

No matter your approach to mentoring, you are sure to face any of the common challenges mentors worldwide face. Understanding what these challenges are and how you can go forward will certainly help a lot.

Gauging your mentee’s nature

It is essential to gauge your mentees’ personality traits and remind them of what is expected from them as mentors. This can take a while, and if done patiently, you can decipher their nature quite quickly. The key to this is to remain patient and non-judgmental. Refrain from jumping to conclusions, and don’t be hasty as you can mistake their true nature.

Setting goals for the mentoring program

Setting goals at the beginning of your mentoring program helps to stay organized and have a hands-on approach to your mentoring program. It will lend clarity to your mentee, and they will work towards the goals instead of being confused. The primary purpose of setting goals ensures that both the mentor and mentee have something concrete to work on. Goals certainly define the purpose and meaning of the mentoring program.

Building trust in the mentee

Your mentee should be able to get to the point where they can confide in you without any second thoughts or inhibitions. Building trust is an integral part of mentoring. Once trust is built, the relationship has a firm foundation with which it can propel forward.

Identifying the mentee’s talents

Often, just being a source of support isn’t enough. A mentor’s role extends to identifying the hidden talents of a mentee. You need to analyze your mentees thoroughly to determine their areas of excellence and areas needing improvisation. When mentors can comprehend a mentee’s knowledge level or expertise in necessary skill sets, it gives rise to a better correlation.  

Allocation of time for completing specific tasks

Time is an invaluable resource, which, once lost, cannot be gained back. Stay abreast of time by preparing schedules or time slots for meetings, discussions, reviews, and completing tasks within the specified time. Refrain from delaying so that both parties' benefit.

Giving feedback to your mentees

Feedback is essential during your mentoring program. It can help your mentees improve in numerous ways. Once feedback is given, it has to be worked upon for more fruitful results. Documenting these results is sure to lend some leverage to your program, and mentees will feel appreciated once you highlight their improvements.

Do you know any other challenges faced by mentors often? Do you have any suggestions or solutions for the same? Share with MentorCloud