Just as there are many requirements in mentoring, there are just as many rewards. We frequently speak of the personal & intrinsic qualities that mentors bring to their relationships & the value of those qualities. The simple truth is that not everyone can be an effective mentor. The sharing of knowledge & experience are only two of the transactions that take place in a mentoring relationship. A mentor must also share vision, spirit, humor, mission, & wisdom that are only a short laundry list of essentials of mentorship. But one requirement that frequently is overlooked is the time investment a mentor must make to their partner.

Many mentors enter mentorship full of good intentions & they possess the necessary qualities to succeed at mentoring only to find that the time investment is greater than what they had anticipated. Because mentorship occurs as a process over an extended period of time the need for time & patience is vital. The time devoted to mentoring sessions, research, & follow-up vary over the course of the relationship but it can be a heavy burden at times. During some points during the mentorship, the time required can be upwards of ten hours per week. As the relationship progresses this requirement can drop to as small as two hours a week & then suddenly ten hours a week are needed. The nature of the relationship dictates that it is impossible to plan just how much time is needed at any given point. The only way this burden can be sustained is if the mentor has a true commitment to their mission to nurture & develop their partner.

There are certainly ways to make sure that the time invested is used most efficiently. Both the mentor & their partner must, from the onset, realize the importance of their interaction & seek quality versus quantity of time. They both must do the outside work required & be totally prepared for each & every session. Taking mentorship seriously & realizing that this is not a casual exercise will ensure that time is used effectively. Making every minute count is a sign of respect for each party.

Many times during mentorship one or the other party is called upon to do research, read relevant literature, or talk to other parties for insight & background. If at any point a mentor feels that their partner is not taking these assignments seriously, the mentoring relationship is severely compromised. Mentors must have a quality of selflessness but they must not be truly selfless. A mentor has a life & obligations that should be respected. Just as true, if a partner feels that their mentor is unprepared or indifferent, the partner may give up on the mentorship all together. It is indeed a partnership & the time commitment must be made & honored by both parties.

When you are thinking of becoming a mentor or asking someone to mentor you, keeping the burden of time in mind will result in realistic expectations. Before you come to the conclusion that mentoring is just another burden, you must take in to account the awesome benefits that successful mentoring can bring. Pantanjali, the Indiana yogi of the second century stated, “When we are confronted with problems, the counsel of someone who has mastered similar problems can be a great help.” This great help can mean the difference between success & failure in both personal & professional endeavors. And indeed, this great help can have lifelong manifestations.

I am not trying to discourage you from becoming a mentor or from seeking mentoring, only that you have realistic expectations of what will be asked of you. The vast majority of those in a mentorship report that they gain far more than they give. The satisfaction & joy of seeing someone grow & develop in to a dynamic & intensely productive member of a team has in itself a great reward. This is how leaders are created & the influence one person can have may have implications so far reaching that we here can only imagine what they may be. Being a part of that process can easily be defined as the most significant activity we may undertake.

Melissa Vokoun is a successful Business Advisor & Trainer. From 1983 to 2005 she was COO & VP of Sales & Marketing for a national telecom equipment distributor. Her passion for business, working with clients in solving critical issues in the strategic, tactical & operational areas of growth continues. She is now President & Founder of NuVo Partners & Successful Business Advisors. To learn more about the services available, please visit the website at: http://www.nuvo-partners.com or call 847-392-6886.