Mentoring begins at home

"Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst." 

These are the words a 10year old me, who had freaked out before my 1st solo stage performance, heard from my mentor. I went on to the stage when my name was called out. It was a monolog act. Midway I froze and forgot lines as expected. But I did not cry or regret it as I was prepared for this. From then on, this quote has been my motto in life. These words have always helped me face any situation.

According to Toastmasters International, a mentor is a person who takes a personal interest in and helps an inexperienced person (mentee) and Offers knowledge, insight, perspective, and wisdom useful to the mentee. He/she serves as a role model, coach, and confidante and helps someone become successful and learns new skills themselves.

 Whose image comes to your mind when you hear this definition? I am sure you would have pictured your mentors.

But whom I think of when it comes to mentoring is my parents. They are the first mentors that I remember. Who helped me learn the languages I speak, shaped the person I am today. Who is very patient and answered each and every question I asked to date.

When I look back, I can think of 5 main qualities a good mentor possesses. Let's go through it one by one.

1.    They are Willing to share knowledge:

What is the use of being knowledgeable if you don't share it? Dad always taught me new things. He was not scared to share his knowledge. He did not think for once that if I teach her, then she would not need me. He was happy to see me becoming independent. When I completed the 12th, he took me to the bank and taught me how things are done in the bank and told me, "from next time, I won't come with you. You have to do it yourself."

2.    They have excellent listening skills:

A mentor should be able to sit back, listen to the concerns of the mentee. My mother was approachable and always available to me. Be it my worst days or best days, I always had a pair of ears to listen to my silly thoughts. How much ever tired she was due to a fulltime job

3.    They are honest and provide constructive feedback:

My dad is a retired teacher. When I was in high school, he taught English and Maths to me at home. I studied in Kannada medium school, and my English was terrible. He always gave me honest feedback about my English. He corrected every time I made some mistakes. And now I correct others' English.

4.    They are compassionate:

Understand that the mentee may not know it all and can fail. My parents never laughed when I failed, nor hit me once in my lifetime. I was in college, and those were the days of free SMS. That is the time I got my first mobile and experienced 1st love. I forgot to study, and I failed the exam. For me, who is the daughter of a school teacher and who stood first in her class throughout her school life, this was a slap on the face. But my mother kept her calm. She said always expect the unexpected in life. Never give up. Stand back on your feet.

5.    They Believe in continuous learning -

My mother is always up to date with what's happening around. She reads the newspaper every day morning and keeps her knowledge up to date. She learned operating the smartphone by herself, and she never stops exploring. I wish I had 10% of her smartness.

 

Currently, I am an independent woman who can manage projects independently and handle her finances on her own. My family and friends approach me for tech-related issues with their mobiles or laptops or any gadgets. I failed multiple times in life but stood back up on my feet with head held high. All this was possible only because of my all-time mentors. I did not have to go out searching for mentors to be successful. I found them at home.

Charity begins at home, so does mentoring.