How to reverse mentor?

In case you have ever looked for a mentor 👩‍🏫 you have probably defined what your mentor should be like. But in a mentor-mentee relationship it is just as important to be a great mentee 👨‍🎓 ! Characteristics of a great mentee:

You are open to impulses and feedback 👂 You listen attentively to the experiences and insights your mentor shares with you. You accept and embrace feedback they share with you - particularly if you disagree with it. In case you do, you can present your perspectives and underline them with solid reasoning. It should be a balance between listening and engaging.

You are reliable ⏰ If you say that you are going to do something you do it. You are on time, and present in the exchanges. In case you are unable to do so you cancel and reschedule on time.

You like to experiment and you are not afraid of the discomfort zone 🦈 You are unafraid to try a little experimentation and leave your comfort zone. A good mentor will likely try to push you, ideally at a pace that suits your needs. When they see you are ready there is only one thing to do: jump!

You challenge yourself 🌪 The next step is in sight and you challenge yourself to get there bit by bit. You embrace the unknown and define for yourself, where your regeneration zone is and how much time you need to spend there to be able to challenge yourself.

You reverse mentor 👐 Towards the end of your mentorship relationship - or maybe even throughout - you share your perspectives and experiences with your mentor. Maybe you learned something that they are unfamiliar with or you have experience where they don’t. It’s a two-way street and you will grow immensely by reversing.

What are your experiences with mentorship? Have you mentored before or have you been mentored? Are you looking for a mentor?