What is a Mentor? || Port Alberni Investment Advisor

As a Port Alberni, Tofino & Ucluelet Investment Advisor, I find that my role is often one of a mentor.  So I’d like to spend the next few blog posts talking about mentors, mentees and mentorship.  Let’s look, first of all, at what a mentor is.  Historically, the original “Mentor” is a person from Greek Mythology.  The story behind Mentor lead to the name being adopted as an English term, meaning someone who imparts wisdom to and shares knowledge with a less experienced colleague.  The Merriam-Webster definition of a mentor is someone who serves as a “trusted counselor or guide”, but generally speaking a mentor is an experienced individual who can help and guide another individual’s development.  This guidance is not done for personal gain.  Mentoring is used in many settings, and certainly is a role that I adopt as an advisor.  There are other words that I believe define my role as a mentor – coach, tutor, guide, facilitator, counsellor, and trusted advisor.  I willingly spend my time using my expertise to guide the development of other people.  The term used for a person a mentor guides is “mentee” or “protégé”.  Mentees are people who want to learn and seek out advice to grow personally and professionally.  In order to have a successful mentorship, there are several key objectives that I feel must be accomplished.  These are:

• valuing the mentee as a person
• developing mutual trust and respect
• always maintaining confidentiality
• to really listen to what is being said and how it is being said
• help the mentee problem solve, rather than give specific direction
• focus on the mentee’s development as an individual and provide support that is unique to their specific needs

A mentor must bear in mind that the ultimate goal is for the mentee to learn to do for themselves.  Benjamin Franklin was the originator of this very powerful statement:  “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” 

 

When things in life become confusing, I find that a walk or bike ride helps to clear my head while I reflect on life, relationships and career.  It's important that we all take a few moments out of our day to stop and think about what is important in life.  Try it and see if this works for you and while you're at it, reflect on what it is that you might need help or guidance with.  If there is something that you can not achieve alone, find a mentor to help you.  Head down to the Harbour Quay, sit on a bench, watch the birds, and reflect on what is important to you.  Here's some of the sights you may see while you are there.

Photos by Stirling Images Photography