5 Great Tips For Mentors

By Richard Horowitz

1. Take your

mentee along

on errands • This is a great way for

meaningful conversations to occur.

2. Ask to visit mentees at their homes

• Be sensitive with this one; mentees might not be proud of their situations.!

• You can overcome discomfort by saying something positive about how they decorate.

3. Help mentees know more about you

• Help your mentees figure out how to get the most out of you by showing them what you know how to do, why you want to mentor them, what boundaries you want to set, your pet peeves and your typical style of communication.!

• Discuss how to “read” each other.!

• Teach your mentees what mentors usually expect.

4. Phone unexpectedly to say

hi• This lets your menthes

know you’re thinking about them.!

• Ask them how school is or how they did in a sports game.!

• Taking those extra minutes will help your mentees understand and feel how important they are.

5. If you went to college, tell them what influenced you

• Explaining to a mentee what influenced your decision can help them make informed decisions themselves.!

• Football legend Jerry Rice was once asked why he attended a smaller and more obscure university like MVSU, and he explained that they were the only school to give him a personal visit at his house.