24 Aug 23 Essential Skills That Mentors Can Teach Their Mentees

An Introduction To Skills That Mentors Can Teach Their Mentees:

In today’s fast-paced and competitive world, having a mentor can prove invaluable. A mentor is a skilled and experienced person who guides and encourages a less experienced person, known as a mentee, in various facets of life.

Mentors have the ability to teach key skills that can affect the mentee’s personal and professional development, in addition to providing guidance and counsel. You can read more about the basics of mentoring in our previous blog.

According to a study conducted by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), people who participate in mentoring programmes are five times more likely to be promoted than those who do not. This statistic highlights the impact of mentoring on professional growth and the skills that mentors can impart to mentees, leading to career advancement opportunities.

In this blog post, we will discuss what we mean by ‘skills’, why you should consider developing your skills or learning new ones – and then take a look at ten vital skills that mentors can teach their mentees.

 

What Do We Mean By Skills?

Skills can be broadly classified into two categories: innate (born) skills and learned skills.

1. Innate (Born) Skills:

Innate skills, also known as natural or inherent skills, are abilities that individuals are born with. These skills are part of an individual’s natural traits and tendencies.

Examples of innate skills could include certain athletic talents, musical abilities, or artistic aptitudes. While these skills might provide a natural advantage, they still require development and refinement through practice and learning.

2. Learned Skills:

Learned skills are those that individuals acquire and develop through education, training, practice, and experience, as well as mentoring. Unlike innate skills, learned skills are not present at birth and are acquired, or learned, over time.

Examples of learned skills include communication, problem-solving, leadership, technical expertise, and many others. The learning process involves observation, study, repetition, and feedback, leading to the mastery of various skills.

 

Some skills are measurable, whereas others are harder to quantify. For example, it’s easier to determine or compare people’s maths skills than their ability to be creative.

There’s also a difference between hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are technical competencies which relate to your ability to perform a task, such as building machines, writing computer codes or accounting. Soft or transferrable skills are useful in multiple scenarios and include communication, critical thinking and creativity.

 

Why Is It Important To Continue To Learn And Develop Skills?

Skill development is essential for both personal and work life due to the following reasons:

1. Personal Growth: Skill development enables individuals to enhance their capabilities, broaden their knowledge, and improve their overall competency. Acquiring new skills empowers personal growth, boosts self-confidence, and allows individuals to adapt better to changes and challenges in life.
2. Career Advancement: In the workplace, continuous skill development is crucial for career advancement. Learning new skills and updating existing ones increases employability and makes individuals more valuable to their current or prospectus employers.
3. Increased Productivity: Having a diverse skill set enhances productivity. Improved efficiency and effectiveness in completing tasks lead to better time management, reduced stress, and increased job satisfaction.
4. Adaptability: In today’s rapidly changing world, staying relevant and adaptable is crucial. Learning new skills equips individuals to embrace new technologies, methodologies, and work trends, making them more versatile and able to tackle emerging challenges.
5. Collaboration and Communication: Certain skills, like effective communication and teamwork, are vital for building strong relationships with others. In both personal and professional settings, these skills promote understanding, reduce conflicts, and foster cooperation.
6. Problem Solving: Developing problem-solving skills enables individuals to identify and address challenges creatively and efficiently. This skill is valuable in overcoming obstacles and finding innovative solutions in various situations.

 

Overall, skill development is an ongoing journey that plays a pivotal role in personal growth, career success, and adaptability to a rapidly changing world. Whether innate or learned, honing skills is an investment that yields long-term benefits in various aspects of life.

 

Areas & Associated Skills That Mentors Can Teach Their Mentee:

We’ve spoken countless times in our previous blog posts about the benefits of mentoring for both mentors and mentees, but now let’s take a closer look at some of the skills that can be gained from working with a mentor.

 

1. Networking and Relationship Building:

Mentors can teach mentees how to make meaningful connections and foster professional partnerships. They can offer information about networking opportunities, educate effective networking practises, and help mentees develop strong interpersonal skills.

2. Emotional Intelligence:

Emotional intelligence is a skill that allows people to understand and control their own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Mentors can educate mentees how to effectively navigate emotions, build self-awareness, and cultivate empathy. This ability improves communication, teamwork, and leadership skills, resulting in more pleasant encounters in both personal and professional situations. Mentees learn to connect with others on a deeper level and to form meaningful relationships.

3. Resilience and Adaptability:

If there’s one thing for sure – life is full of ups and downs, and mentors can instil the value of perseverance and adaptation in their mentees. Mentors can share personal experiences of triumph over adversity and offer advice on coping methods, stress management, and embracing change. This ability assists mentees in recovering from setbacks, embracing new chances, and thriving in dynamic circumstances.

4. Effective Communication:

Mentors can assist mentees in developing clear and effective communication skills. Mentors can help mentees articulate their thoughts confidently and politely, from verbal articulation through to active listening. They can instil the value of clarity, sensitivity, and tailoring communication techniques to various audiences.

5. Goal Setting and Planning:

Mentors are essential in assisting mentees in setting realistic and achievable goals. Mentors enable mentees to break down larger goals into manageable chunks by teaching effective goal-setting skills and assisting with action planning. This ability promotes attention, motivation, and advancement towards personal and professional goals.

6. Decision Making and Problem Solving:

Mentors can teach the art of making sound decisions and addressing problems. Mentors can help mentees analyse circumstances, assess options, and make educated decisions by sharing their experiences and mental processes. This talent prepares mentees to face challenges and negotiate complications.

7. Time Management:

Time management is an important skill for success in any endeavour. Mentors can teach mentees how to prioritise projects, set deadlines, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Mentors can assist mentees to become more productive and efficient by establishing discipline and emphasising the importance of time.

8. Continuous Learning:

Mentors can help mentees to embrace an attitude of continual learning in a quickly changing world. They can introduce mentees to numerous learning resources, recommend books or courses, and cultivate a curious mindset. This ability enables mentees to adapt to change, stay relevant, and take advantage of new possibilities. By learning the skill of learning and studying, mentees can continue to build on and improve personal development, long after the mentoring relationship ends.

9. Leadership and Mentorship:

Mentors can assist mentees in building leadership and mentoring abilities. They can provide insights on effective leadership styles, communication tactics, and motivational and inspirational initiatives. Mentors help to build a future generation of leaders by cultivating the potential mentor within mentees. Mentees learn to be role models, to inspire others, and to have a positive impact on their environment.

10. Self-Reflection and Self-Improvement:

Finally, mentors can inspire mentees to practise self-reflection and self-improvement. To promote personal growth, they can introduce strategies such as journaling, mindfulness, and requesting feedback. This ability helps mentees to identify their own strengths, limitations, and places for growth, resulting in constant self-development.

 

And The Skills Don’t End There….

Although we touch on the above development areas and skills in more detail, we can’t help but include a few more for your consideration.

At sfG MentorNet, we have the pleasure of working with customers from all over the world who manage their own mentoring programmes, and through this work – we have been witness to the countless benefits that mentoring brings, we can certainly vouch and advocate for the endless skills that can be learned during mentoring.

Negotiation, public speaking and presenting, problem solving, resilience… These skills, as well as project management, personal branding, and financial literacy, can all be developed and improved during the mentoring relationship.

 

Conclusion:

Mentors have a unique opportunity to provide their mentees with essential skills that will help them grow personally and professionally.

A research study published in the Journal of Vocational Behaviour found that mentored individuals have higher self-esteem and greater job satisfaction compared to non-mentored individuals.

This fact emphasises the positive impact of mentoring on personal development and the skills mentors can teach, such as effective communication, emotional intelligence, and self-reflection, which contribute to increased confidence and overall satisfaction.

Mentors have an important part in influencing their mentees’ future success by creating the road for mentees to flourish in all facets of life by helping them to develop confidence, resilience, and an enthusiasm for life-long learning.