Mentor personalities combine intuition, insight, life experience, and the capacity to counsel and inspire others. Mentoring is multifaceted. An underlying with more experience mentors an older worker in a new field. A mentor can provide you with the knowledge and motivation to change your life. 

In this article, we’ll explore four types of mentoring personalities we commonly find in the business world. 

The Visionary 

It’s easy to identify leaders with vision. The ones that are the most confident and charismatic tend to be the ones who stand out the most, both physically and audibly. Most people would think of the CEOs of multinational corporations when asked to name three visionary leaders in under ten seconds.

Leadership traits of a visionary guide

1. Imagination

A leader with a vision is characterized by a childish imagination that allows them to contemplate possibilities others overlook. Some creative ideas that turn out to be tremendously successful are adventurous and playful because of this richness of creativity.

2. Inspiration

As well as being able to see what’s to come, visionary leaders have a knack for getting their points across to others. Their sincerity and conviction resonate with listeners, inspiring them to share their feelings and beliefs. 

3. A willingness to engage with others and be adaptable.

Ultimately, a visionary will excuse almost any tactics so long as they bring them closer to their eventual goal. Such leaders typically understand what it will take to make their dreams a reality, but they are open to different approaches to getting there.

Examples of notable visionary mentors

Brilliant minds that anticipate consumer needs and produce groundbreaking goods are prime examples of CEOs with vision. Richard Branson, Reed Hastings, and Steve Jobs are a few of this group’s notable names. A wide range of characteristics, each present at varying levels in influential leaders with a vision, characterize those who do great things.

How to effectively work with a visionary mentor?

There are numerous positive practices that visionary leaders demonstrate. They recognize its power to unite the group behind a common goal. Before beginning a project, they carefully consider every aspect, from procedures to personnel needs.

Strategist

One who creates and implements strategy is called a strategist. Generally, a process entails three steps:

• Identifying objectives.
• Deciding on a course of action.
• Organizing and allocating resources to carry out the plan.

A strategy explains how desired results can be attained through planned actions.

The Traits of Successful Mentors in Strategy:

1. They are a good listener

A mentor who is also a strategist needs to be patient and open to the employee’s inquiries and concerns as they pertain to the job. Specifically, it entails being receptive to the employee’s worries and grasping the scope of the problem at hand.

2. They give constructive feedback

A new hire still learning the ropes of the company’s internal workings would benefit from having a strategic mentor to help them avoid common pitfalls. Providing constructive criticism is essential to training new employees, but only if the mentor can convey the message in a way that doesn’t make the employee feel attacked.

3. They make an effort to get to know the mentee on a deeper level.

A mentor’s duty as a strategic thinker is to show genuine concern for their guiding individual. To do so necessitates getting to know an individual on a deeper level than is typical in the workplace.

Examples of notable strategist mentors:

Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group and one of the world’s most successful business people, has been vocal about his value in having a mentor. Sir Freddie Laker, his primary mentor, helped Branson and his airline succeed in its early years.

How to collaborate efficiently with an experienced strategist?

One of the most common ways of mentoring is pairing a skilled worker with a newer one, and this practice has persisted because it is effective. A well-thought-out plan is crucial for any mentoring initiative to bear fruit.

The Connector

When it comes to centralized resources for mentoring programmes, there is nothing like a Connector mentor. The Mentoring Connector is a free tool that helps outstanding youth mentoring programmes across the country find more local volunteers while dramatically improving the awareness of their organizations.

Mentoring’s Connector Roles and Traits:

1. Prompted by consumer need

Managers in the connector industry understand the need to train their employees in the skills they’ll need in the future and the ones they need now. It demands a deep understanding of the organization’s strategic direction and functioning environment.

2. One must be conscious of oneself.

Connector managers, though, know that they need help to have all the solutions. They understand when other teams or organization members are more suited to offer assistance, and they prioritize putting their staff in touch with those individuals when needed.

3. Able to formulate pertinent inquiries

Curiosity and good questioning skills are among the main attributes of a connector manager. They are skilled at getting to the base of what is troubling employees so that they can assess what kind of support and growth will be most helpful.

Examples of notable connection mentors:

Connector mentors include Christian Dior for Yves Saint-Laurent, Steve Jobs for Mark Zuckerberg, Maya Angelou for Oprah Winfrey, and Father Michael van der Peet for Mother Teresa.

The Coach

Coach-Mentors are dynamic and confident professionals with cheerful attitudes. They are pleasant and good at getting other people excited and motivated. Coach-Mentors focus on results and provide assistance where it is most needed.

Characteristics of the coach mentor

1. They find personal satisfaction in seeing others succeed.

The success of the individual they are coaching or mentoring is more important to them than their own. They find immense satisfaction when the person they invest in rises above them and achieves even more remarkable achievements and significance than they have.

2. They have a genuine concern for the person they are shaping.

Care from a mentor or coach should not be judged or required, but without it, the process rarely has a life-altering impact.

3. They are known for their skill or proficiency in a particular area.

The people who play the roles of coaches and mentors excel in certain areas. Most importantly, they both have the self-discipline and desire to pay the price necessary to succeed.

Mentors and coaches of note

Examples of renowned coach mentors are Esther Perel, Rich Litvin, Steve Chandler, Bob Proctor and Michael Neill.

How to properly work with a coach mentor?

Give a quick summary of the mentor-coaching process. Initiate a shared journaling experience by inquiring whether your mentee is interested. Reinforce that your communications are confidential.

Finding the Right Mentor

Characteristics to Look For

• A great mentor listens attentively and is genuinely interested in seeing you succeed.
• If you want a productive relationship with your mentor, it’s essential to find someone who treats you with dignity, gives you direct feedback and is an authority in your industry.
• A supportive mentor will encourage you and offer constructive feedback as you work toward your goals.

Tips for being a successful mentee

• Clarify both of your expectations: If a corporation or organization matched you, don’t assume you and your mentor agree on why. Tell your mentor what you hope to gain. Your mentor may think you want career or management guidance.
• Confirm the logistics: You may prefer live meetings, but this may be too tough with your mentor’s schedule. Ask explicitly how your mentor loves to meet – e.g., live, by phone or video. The meeting frequency should be confirmed. Confirm if it’s okay to email or call in-between booked meetings.
• Help your mentor help you: You will still need to be specific about what you require from the mentorship even after you have decided on a goal and a schedule for sessions. Inevitably, your requirements will evolve as you progress through your mentoring relationship. The more detailed you can be, the easier it will be for your mentor to help you.
• Schedule things on your own accord: When you first meet, choose a regular meeting day for lunch, such as the last Tuesday of the month. Make plans as you go. The previous discussion may need to be earlier to plan the next meeting. Determine when to contact the mentor. Set calendar alerts to confirm times and dates that work for both parties. Pay attention to your mentor.
• Respect your mentor’s time: One way to show appreciation for your mentor’s time is to reply to their messages promptly. Coming to scheduled meetings on time and sticking to the agenda and time agreed upon are different ways to respect their time. Showing effort or outcomes in-between meetings is another way of letting your mentor know that time with you is well spent.

Conclusion

Like a good friend’s value, mentorship is better experienced than explained in words whoever is involved in a mentoring relationship, whether the mentee or the mentor, has the opportunity to grow personally and professionally as a result of their participation.