𝗗𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂 '𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸' 𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿?

 

𝗗𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂 '𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸' 𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿?

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⏳Mentors invest their time in you.

❓How can you 'give back' to make sure their investment is worthwhile?

🔷While most mentees share updates on their progress and show gratitude for the mentor's advice, the one way to give back to your mentor — probably done to a lesser degree — is to provide feedback on how they are doing as a mentor.

🔷Most of my mentors usually ask what they can do better to elevate their mentorship abilities. This request for feedback is something that I have adopted over the years when I am mentoring others to improve my own ability to provide value.

👇Here are three simple ways to reciprocate in a relationship with a mentor:

✔𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱. Mentors enjoy being a part of your development. When you excel, they feel rewarded. So, make an intentional effort to reach out to them regularly — once a month, every quarter, or whenever you achieve a big goal — to tell them what's happening in your life and career.

✔𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲. One thoughtful way to show your mentor gratitude is through a handwritten note. It should capture the specifics: the situation you were struggling with, the advice or benefits your mentor provided, and the resulting impacts on you and your life or career. This simple act can strengthen your relationship with your mentor and might even encourage them to mentor others in the future.

✔𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸. Your mentor may be your senior, but they're still learning — just like you. Thoughtful feedback is one of the most valuable things you can offer (not just once, but habitually). This can be intimidating and requires your mentor to be willing to receive feedback. You can help establish these parameters early in the relationship by providing honest and succinct feedback in a follow-up email after a meeting or call.

🌟Mentors not only share their time, energy, and experience to help their mentees achieve personal and professional goals but also to make a difference in the grander sense. You, as a mentee, are that mechanism for them to feel that their efforts are contributing to the greater good.

🌟Instead of viewing the relationship as only receiving from your mentor, recognize that the interaction is mutually beneficial! 'Give back' to your mentors whenever possible to further promote investment in others!

❓What other ways have you given back to mentors or thoughtful ways a mentee has given to you?

Source: Linkedin Chris Kelley