The article below has been adapted from a recent blog I saw in a LinkedIn page posted on November 2014 by Lew Sauder

I found this interesting as it was simple but clearly thought provoking. For mentors to see how the work they do, can enhance their resilience, to the knocks often faced when mentoring becomes difficult especially when the mentee cancels or the mentoring is ended. It is often hard to explain to mentees exactly the benefits of mentoring other than goal setting, however, there are subtle holistic life changes both the mentee and the mentor experience, which should be harnessed and considered to provide education in resilience and self regulation for a positive future in self management. Fay Hunkins Walcott

What do you think? Let us know leave a comment!

Five reasons mentoring makes you a better leader [and thus is co-enhancing and resilience building.]

“When people first started coming to me for advice, it was a good feeling. I felt like I was helping others to become better leaders. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I was benefiting almost as much as the people I mentored. By mentoring others, I was becoming a better leader. Here’s how I found that mentoring makes you a better leader”  L.Sauder.

• You are more likely to follow your own advice. Repetition makes things sink in people’s heads. That’s why we hear the same commercials and advertising slogans over and over on TV and radio. When a mentor gives advice to a mentee, the information she has heard in her mind all this time is repeated out loud. It not only sinks in for the mentee. The mentor feels a responsibility to follow the advice herself.
• It makes you rethink your lessons learned Everyone knows you should learn from your mistakes. But not everyone puts that completely into practice. You may say to yourself, “I’m not going to do that again.” But in your embarrassment, you don’t want to focus on that awkward moment. You focus more on your successes and move on. But then, someone you’re mentoring starts to go down that same path. It makes you remember that time you [messed] up. So you offer some advice from someone who has made the same mistake. In the process, you reflect on what you really learned from that situation. You end up helping your mentee. But you also learn a greater lesson yourself by spending more time analysing the situation. [Should that not also be shared with the mentee?]
• You are more likely to share your knowledge with others. For some, mentoring is a daunting concept. Some people don’t realize how much knowledge they have. Then, once someone is asking them questions, they realize how much they have to share with others. As a result, they begin taking more people under their wing and helping more people to succeed. Pretty soon, that person is the go-to expert in his area of knowledge.
• • You’re more motivated When you begin mentoring people, it helps to create a greater sense of self-worth. You’re not just going to work every day doing the same hum-drum work. You have renewed interest in your career. It has more meaning. You’re adding more value to others. And as a result, you feel more valuable as a worker.
• You leave behind a legacy It used to be that you worked at one company for your entire career. When you retired, they would have the obligatory retirement dinner, give you a gold watch, and say goodbye. In today’s transient workplace, retirement simply means moving on. Retirement dinners and gold watches are a thing of the past. So is the reflection on a career and your legacy. Those that leave a trail of mentees in their wake, however, find that they [remember] them. Like a favourite teacher, they keep in touch with you. They may even meet you for coffee or lunch on occasion. As a mentor and a leader, you will take joy in watching them continue to succeed, knowing that you had some influence in their accomplishments.
• Conclusion

Mentoring is a great opportunity to give back and share your knowledge with people with less experience or knowledge. [You provide the gateway to understanding what is required to enhance human intelligence and resilience.] There is also something in it for the mentor. By mentoring, the mentor develops into a stronger leader [and more resilient person] and a better contributor to the organisation.