5 Benefits of Having Leaders As Mentors

If you are in a leadership role or people look up to you because you have obvious leadership qualities, you probably didn't get there on your own. There is a very good chance that someone, at some point, poured into you and helped shape you into the leaders that you are! Mentors can make all the difference when it comes to being an effective leader. Having a mentor is such a benefit. Being a mentor helps pay forward the help you’ve been given and the lifetime of knowledge you’ve accumulated from your mentor and your experiences.

1. Mentoring Others Grows Better Leaders

It seems that the more mentors provided mentoring support, the more they themselves developed even more and/or better leadership qualities. The more these mentors mentored, the more they saw themselves as leaders and they also grew in confidence. They were then able to exemplify and teach a wider range of skills, motivate new leaders and keep themselves grounded.

2. Mentoring Teaches More Than the Obvious

Mentoring a new leader or potential leader requires more than helping them learn some basic skills. Guiding them using coaching and questioning techniques is great, and passing on traditions and skills is also a nice way of guiding others as they develop into leaders. Mentoring someone in leadership surpasses practical skills and includes esoteric skills that go beyond the technical aspects of a trade. Mentoring leaders means finding ways to teach the psychological and interpersonal skills that make great leaders as well. In addition, 84% of CEOs in mentoring programs said that having a mentor helped them avoid costly mistakes and become proficient in their roles (National Mentoring Day).

3. Mentoring Motivates New Leaders

One of the roles of being a leader and mentoring other people is finding ways to motivate those people. Whether by words or action, getting others excited about the possibilities of their jobs or positions, and feeling confident about what they can accomplish, is a skill leaders need to master. Mentoring new leaders is the epitome of motivating. Sure, you’ll have to cover the challenges of leadership - which are many, but overall you can help motivate a new leader to be their best. This, in turn, motivates you and helps remind you of the benefits of being a leader as well.

4. Mentoring Keeps You Grounded

Good leaders often understand the enormity of their positions. Being in leadership should be humbling and not something that you can now throw in people's faces when you give them a list of tasks to complete. Serving others is what leadership is all about. Being a leader has perks and advantages, but it also has tough realities those who aren’t in leadership don’t have to face. Balancing kindness and compassion with high expectations and demands is not always fun. Remembering the highs and lows of mentoring others keeps you grounded and reminds you that leadership is an important responsibility and that the well-being of those you lead is partially in your hands.

5. Sharpen Your Own Leadership Skills

Mentoring is a wonderful way to sharpen your leadership skills and transform you as a leader. Teaching up-and-coming leaders the nuances of their roles can help them become better leaders in a shorter amount of time.

Remember those who taught you along the way and be sure to pay it forward to the people you are fortunate enough to impact. Your teaching time can be learning time for you too because your mentee will surely have something new to teach you as well. Celebrate your mentees and help them achieve their best by mentoring them and pouring into their futures.

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