Enriching lives: The benefits of mentoring

Image Source: jkstalent.com

Mentoring is a professional relationship wherein a more experienced person, the mentor, imparts his or her knowledge to and guides another, the mentee. Unlike a traditional coaching system, a mentor acts as role model, and a mentorship relationship focuses on both short and long-term professional goals.

Mentoring occurs in a variety of environments, such as in businesses, faith-based organizations, and schools. 


A mentorship relationship has advantages for both mentors and mentees.

Image Source: mentorcloud.com


For mentors, teaching and guiding others help build their confidence and facilitate their own professional and personal growth. Mentoring can also help enhance skills in leadership, management, and communication. The experience can also help reinforce knowledge on the subject being mentored, as well as provide an opportunity for mentors to be recognized for their skills. On the practical side, being a mentor is a good way to enhance one's resume while bringing about a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction at having made a difference in another person's life.

Image Source: coworkingfor.com


For mentees, a mentorship relationship provides an opportunity to learn from the experiences and knowledge of an experienced person in their field. It can provide mentees with an opportunity to gain valuable, unbiased advice and constructive criticism, and identify and develop necessary skills needed to succeed. Mentees will also be able to hone their personal and communication skills while creating useful contacts and expanding their professional network.


Hugh Guill has experienced the benefits of being a mentor first hand. He credits his college experience as a mentor to a student in his community's public school for sparking his interest in education. After graduation, he became a classroom teacher in the Denver public school system with Teach for America, and rose to the rank of dean within three years.

To learn more about the importance of mentorship, subscribe to this blog.