How to Be an Amazing Mentor: 12 Ways to Make a Positive Impact on Others (1)

Take a minute to think about the best mentor you've ever had.
This doesn't have to be someone at work, although it certainly could be. But mentors come in all shapes and sizes: It can be your manager, a colleague, a parent, a friend, a coach, a college professor ... anyone who's been a particularly excellent advisor at some point in your life.

Now, think of what made them stand out to you. Was it the example they set? That you felt like they really understood your communication style, your working style, or your goals? That they seemed to always point you to the right resources or give you the right advice when you needed it?

At some point in your life (and, if you're lucky, many times), you're going to find yourself playing the role of a mentor to someone, somewhere. It can be both exciting, and a little confusing. What exactly does it mean to be someone's mentor, and how can you really stand out in the role?
Let's touch on what a mentor is, including the three main types of mentors: peer mentors, career mentors, and life mentors. Then, we'll go through 12 tips for being an amazing mentor.

What Does It Mean to Be a Mentor?

At its core, being a mentor is being a trusted advisor. It can mean a lot of different things, but it all boils down to making yourself available to support and advise someone when they need it, delivering that support in a way that makes sense to them, and always, always keeping that person's best interests in mind.

A mentor/mentee relationship can last for years, or it can last one coffee date. When you mentor someone long-term, you really get to know and understand their personality, learning style, and goals, which can set you up to offer richer, more relevant advice over time
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But mentorship doesn't have to be long-term. It can also be a one-off or short-term relationship, like when someone needs help working through a specific problem -- such as a career transition or a problem with a coworker or manager.

In an article for Harvard Business Review, Venture Capitalist Anthony T. Khan wrote about three types of mentors. Let's explore each one below.

Peer Mentors

This one is more of an apprenticeship than a mentorship. Whether someone is onboarding in a new job or simply at the early stages of their career, they may benefit from having a peer mentor working at their same company to help them settle in to their new job and climb the learning curve faster. A peer mentor focuses on helping with specific skills, working toward specific goals, and basic organization practices for how to get things done.

Career Mentors

When most people think of mentorship, they're thinking about career mentorship. Career mentors are senior to their mentees at the same company or a former company. Their purpose is to serve as a career advisor and advocate, and to help reinforce how a mentee's job contributions fit into their long-term career goals, and perhaps even how they fit into the bigger picture of the company's goals.
Some companies have career mentorship programs built right into their people development strategy. This seems to work best when it's not a bureaucratic system, but instead more of a volunteer system where existing employees volunteer to mentor newer employees. "It should be something people know is embraced as part of the ethos of a firm," writes Khan.

Life Mentors

A life mentor is usually someone outside of their mentee's workplace. This person can serve as an objective sounding board when that person finds themselves faced with a difficult career challenge or is considering changing jobs. Khan writes that life mentors shouldn't replace a peer or career mentor, but "they are there to impart career wisdom."
Chances are, you'll be more than one of these types of mentors for multiple people, and you may have a few mentees at a time. There are a few pieces of advice that hold true regardless of the type of mentorship you find yourself in. Here are 12 tips on how to be an amazing mentor.

To be continued

Check out for  12 Ways to Be an Amazing Mentor


Lindsay Kolowich