What can I do to gain leadership experience? Become a mentor (8 tips for women)

Although mentoring is a way to gain leadership experience, it requires commitment and compassion to stay the course. Simply put, mentoring is not to be taken lightly. Whether the learner is an adult or a youth, the person will rely on you to be available and provide guidance. Therefore, this article suggests eight tips to ponder before taking the plunge.

8 tips

• Consider your motivation.

What is your motive? This question replaces everything. If you lack clarity and don’t have a big enough why, you may need to rethink mentoring as a strategy for gaining leadership experience. In addition to possessing a combination of skills and qualities, you must care about people and their success. Therefore, think carefully about your answer to the initial question. In short, making a difference should be the main objective.

• Write your goals.

Deciding to become a mentor is one thing, but creating a plan to make it happen is another. To do this, develop SMART goals. As you may know, SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

What do you need to accomplish in the next week or the next 30 days? What do you want to achieve in a year? Use a journal or spiral notebook to record the information. Plan to be successful.

• Start where it makes sense.

Various groups need mentors: young adults exiting foster care, students (high school and college), women returning to the workplace, women returning to the community after incarceration, troubled youth, first-time supervisors, entrepreneurs , etc. Where do you think you can have the biggest impact?

• Keep an open mind.

Your mindset will make a difference. This is why it is imperative to refrain from being critical or biased. Both can impede the growth of the mentor-mentee relationship.

• Conduct a thorough investigation.

Read literature to discover the agency’s mission, programs and services. Who are the clients? What are your needs? Discover the challenges and/or opportunities. Although the mentors receive training, never neglect your task.

• Think about the possible challenges.

Be encouraged to face any perceived limitations or fears. However, brainstorm how to overcome them.

• Seek to maintain balance.

Effective mentors excel at building relationships, and building relationships takes time. Still, you can’t lose sight of your other obligations. That said, get a firm grip on your current schedule. Improve your time management skills so you don’t get stressed.

• Take the next step.

If you have done all of the above, then make your move. There is no better time than the present to start.