September 7, 2018

As you progress as an entrepreneur and leader, you will find the way you treat those around you is important to the success of your business or work environment. Forbes stated that, "Millenials planning to stay with their business for more than five years are twice as likely to have a mentor than not." This interesting statistic shows that being a mentor can benefit both your professional and personal life. Interested in learning more? Read the following to learn why you should consider taking on this rewarding role!

You will learn more about yourself

Becoming a mentor doesn't happen overnight. Mentorship can happen when a coworker who works with you closely looks to you as their guide on topics like professional etiquette, soft skills in your field and so on. Realizing someone considers you his or her mentor might cause you to sit back and self-reflect.

This is a positive thing!

You are most likely in this position because you are a respected leader and a hard worker. You might learn that you are more capable than you ever realized. You will begin to understand how you lead and communicate and your work will benefit as a direct result.

Your communication skills will improve

Here's a secret: being a mentor doesn't mean you have it all figured out. In this position, you will learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of your current communication skills and how you can build your skills. As you learn to better communicate, you will reap the benefits in both your personal and work life.

It will increase your confidence

As a mentor, the pressure to do and say the right thing can become taxing. This is normal. Remember how you got to this position: because you are diligent, understanding and treat those around you with respect.

Have faith in yourself! Realizing you are making a positive impact in someone's life will benefit your overall mental health. Try to focus on the reasons someone looks to you as a leader and feel more confident in you abilities moving forward.

It's a two-way street

You don't have to be perfect all the time. You will still make mistakes and that's okay! Being a mentor means you have an instant support system. Your mentee has your back as much as you have theirs.

Interested in learning more about becoming a leader or mentor? The Close School has many programs that offer opportunities for students to benefit from mentorship or for alumni to give back to the school! Visit http://drexel.edu/baiada/mentorship/overview/.

Andrea Moran, Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship, Communications