Jerry McCoy, a community relations project manager who has worked with government organizations in Glendale, Surprise and Phoenix, Arizona, considers mentoring a high priority. Professional mentoring enables experienced leaders like McCoy to equip other employees with many of the skills they've gained over their successful careers.
Good mentoring requires sound listening skills and sound communication. Just sharing stories of what the mentor did in a prior situation won't be enough to encourage improvement. Mentors need to be able to invest in others, become more self-aware, and listen well.
A good mentor-mentee relationship involves a clear understanding of what both parties are looking for. Both should take the time to discuss what they would like to get out of the mentorship, as both mentor and mentee will be able to guide the other to the type of performance the mentee expects to develop.
Mentors need to be curious and take a keen interest in the mentee's background, career goals, and existing levels of professional competencies. Getting discouraged when a mentee can't grasp a specific idea, or judging the mentee based on something outside of the mentor-mentee relationship, can hinder the flow of communication.
As listeners, mentors should look primarily for a mentee's passion. If something the mentor shares gets the mentee engaged, that's an opportunity on which the mentor can capitalize. Active listening, such as asking for clarification and summarizing, can make it easier to spot these moments.
During his stellar career in public service and as a former journalist, McCoy has shared his knowledge and insights with many new and up-and-coming professionals in the communications profession.
