The importance and advantages of participating in a mentorship programme in the workplace has been proven again and again. When done right and with people willing to learn from their advisor, mentorship can be one of the most gratifying and career-advancing professional development programmes employees can utilise for success. There is undoubtedly no shortage of young professionals looking to mentors for guidance, but being a mentor isn’t necessarily a natural role for many people to take on. If you’ve been asked to be a mentor, here are some ways you can ensure that you will be able to be the best possible mentor you can be.

Find the right match. Although there’s something to be said about a random pairing that may offer different perspectives and cross-pollination of ideas, the true value of mentorship is best realised when two people share similar professional goals. This allows the experience of professional development and growth to be shared and understood by both parties involved. If you work in finance and your mentee is looking to excel in a digital work environment, the mentorship may not be able to go as far as say, a pairing with a burgeoning finance administrator. Additionally, mentorship works best when the pair is invested in one another. Part of finding the right match is to find a mentee that you can click with on a deeper level. Perhaps you two share an alma mater or maybe you both grew up in the same city or neighbourhood. Finding the right mentee means finding someone who you will genuinely want to help succeed. 

Make the commitment. Participating in a mentorship programme is a time-consuming endeavour, and not one that should be taken lightly. While you could consider mentorship meetings/calls as an extracurricular activity in your normal workday, dedicate time and energy to the partnership once you’ve found your right mentee. Don’t skip out or be late to your sessions together and conversely, hold your mentee accountable to the mentorship. If your mentee cannot commit, discuss with them how to make the partnership work. If no viable solution can be found or if the mentorship isn’t working out for another reason, come to an amicableconclusion that participating in the mentoring programme together at this time isn’t ideal. Work together to find alternatives, whether it’s to reconnect in six months time or to help find a better pairing.  

Establish ground rules. Help make the mentorship as effective and worthwhile as possible by creating a set of rules and standards to follow for yourself and your mentee. Determine expectations and discuss short and long term goals in order to keep focus on the mentorship. Chart pathways of communication and discuss frequency of contact. Make every effort to adhere to the mutually agreed upon rules so that the relationship maintains a level of respect, accountability, and value.  

Go the extra mile to be supportive. Being a mentor is a considerable undertaking and puts you in a position of power. Instead of letting that get to your head, use that role to elevate your mentee whenever possible. Be sure to reward your mentee’s success and achievements. If your mentee comes up with a creative solution to a problem, let others know where the idea originated. Propose new challenges to your mentee in order to help them stretch and build on their existing skillset. Introduce your mentee to other people who may be able to assist them in their professional development. Extend invitations to allow your mentee to lead teams or company initiatives. Whatever it may be, the key is to show your support to your mentee as often as possible, so long as you have faith that they can benefit from the exposure and experience.