So yesterday, I went on a little rant about mentors. I must say, all of what I said are real feelings. I try not to voice them very often, because I know that those feelings are not necessarily fair to a lot of people in my life. The truth is, a lot of my "mentors" have done a lot of things for me in my life. They've taken me along with them on trips, they've let me stay with them in their homes, they've paid for lunches, helped pay for books, picked up the phone at twelve at night when i'm just freakin out. So as many disappointing times that i've had, and as often as i've felt alone, I have also been very blessed by these men.
So today is about the otherside of mentorship- what I have learned about being a mentor.
1. Mentors need to be the mentee's advocate. You cannot condemn.
2. Mentors need to act for the best of the mentee, even if that means being the "bad guy" sometimes.
3. Mentors need to take time, and take effort- they may be the only ones who are doing that in the mentees life.
4. Mentors need to invite the mentee into a story- they need to give them something to live for, and something they believe themselves.
5. Mentors need to make mentees feel special- because, after all, they are special.
6. Mentors need to help develop the God-given abilities of the mentees, and give them opportunities to use these abilities.
7. Mentors need to not worry about their popularity, or whether they are being loved in return. It's not about them, it's about the mentee.
What else guys? If you read this, is there anything else that a mentor should do? I want to be the best mentor I can be to every student or friend that I have. I'm workin on it ;)
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