Are you mentor material?
Are you mentor material?
It is a privilege to be asked to be a mentor, and invited to invest in someone’s life. However, if there is a seed of doubt in your mind that you aren’t mentor material let me put your mind at ease. Anyone can be a mentor!
A mentor is a person who comes alongside another to challenge and champion them. Who see’s potential in their life and inspires them to reach it.
You aren’t being asked to be a coach which requires a set of professional skills or experience, nor are you being asked to be a counsellor, but simply a person who may be a few steps ahead of them and has wisdom to share.
If someone has asked you to be their mentor, it hasn’t come out of the blue. They have been observing your faith walk, and it is something that they aspire to.
They have seen you and concluded they would like to learn from you.
But before you say yes, make sure you have the time and capacity to be someone's mentor.
Mentoring is not a one-off session but a commitment to walk alongside another person for a season.
It doesn’t have to be all-consuming, however, it does require you to have time to check in and connect semi-regularly.
Before you agree to be someone's mentor have an open conversation about their reasons and exceptions so neither of you becomes disheartened.
Ask them why they would like to be mentored. Perhaps there is a certain area they would like to grow in and knowing this will help you focus your conversations. Ask them what their exceptions are in terms of outcomes and how often they would like to connect.
Share how best you would like the relationship to work. Would you prefer to know what they would like to discuss ahead of time you meet?
One more thing,
You don’t have to wait to be asked to be a mentor to behave like a mentor.
In the community you are in right now, you can embody the characteristics of a great mentor to those around you.
Living a life of integrity. People are watching your walk.
Selflessness. Check in, pray and love those already in your world.
Have oversight of those around you. Be on alert for the welfare of those you are already connected to.
Cheering you on, and those who you will invest in. They will be blessed to have you as a mentor!
Written By- Marie Aitken