5 Signs That You Might be a Workplace Mentor

Are you the type of person to help people in the workplace without ever being asked? Are you quick to show others the ropes and slow to judge them when they’re new to the role? If so then you might just be a natural workplace Mentor.

Workplace Mentors are, in many ways, the people who make the world go round, quietly doing their bit to show others the way and help new employees to get their feet on the ground. They’re the type of person who’s always willing to assist and who leads by example, helping to create a better working environment for everyone involved. They’re also, as it happens, the perfect people to become Career Navig8rs.

Today we’ll be exploring the defining traits that make a workplace Mentor and why they’re such a crucial member of any effective team.

1. Recognition of Your Impact

One of the first signs that you’re a workplace Mentor is that people start recognising the impact you have. Sometimes this happens in large ways through commendation or congratulation but it’s often more notable in the small details. Are you regularly chosen to lead teams/projects? Does your opinion carry weight among your peers? Most importantly, are you someone others feel they can trust and rely on in the workplace?

While workplace Mentors don’t always get the verbal recognition they deserve, they have a tendency to carve out a place for themselves nonetheless becoming a source of support for those around them.

2. Being Sought Out for Advice and Support

Speaking of support, workplace Mentors tend to be the first port of call when people are looking for advice. This is because they’re the type of person who’ll offer clear guidance free of any judgement.

This is particularly true when it comes to newer employees who will naturally seek out these kinds of Mentors as they navigate a new working environment. If you’re the person that others trust enough to admit when they’re unsure or uncertain about what to do then you’re providing a vital role in helping the whole team run smoothly and functionally.

3. Investment in Others’ Success

Perhaps the most defining trait of a workplace Mentor is this: they care about the success of others. They’re the kind of people who don’t struggle to relate to others and who feel a genuine sense of pride in helping other people achieve their goals. In many cases, they’re the kind of person who gets as much, if not more, out of helping others as they would out of achieving their own goals.

They say that a rising tide lifts all boats meaning that what’s good for one member of a team is often good for all. Workplace Mentors are the rising tide because they take a sense of pride in lifting everyone else’s boat and in doing so they often improve their own situation.

4. Having a Mentoring Mindset

In some respects, mentoring really is a state of mind. It’s the urge to explain and to help others avoid the pitfalls you yourself might have run into in the past. It’s an empathetic mindset and one that comes more naturally to some than to others.

Ask yourself – when you see someone else struggling, do you long to go and help? Are you the type to drop what you’re doing so that you can show someone else the way. That mentoring mindset is the best way to share your knowledge and wisdom and it’s how skills are usually passed from one person to the next.

5. Choosing To Help

If you’re sitting there right now wondering whether or not you’re a workplace Mentor, then this next question is the most important one of all: do you want to be?

At the end of the day, while there are many natural traits that can define someone as a workplace Mentor, the core of what makes a workplace Mentor is that they want to be one. It’s that they’re the kind of person who aspires to be kind, empathetic, and supportive of those around them. If that’s the kind of person you want to be, then you’ve already taken the most important step.

Here at Career Navig8r, we’re always eager to bring people like you on board because we know that the best Mentors are the ones who are proud to help others and who are always looking for ways to share their knowledge and passion. If you want to help others learn the skills that have defined your career, assist them in working their way towards your job role, and show them how to be the very best at what they do, then sign up today to become a Career Navig8r.

We can’t wait to have you on board!