Mentorship is a crucial part of professional development, but it can be challenging to find a strong mentor. In fact, a survey of mentorships found that most participants experienced at least one ineffective mentoring relationship. Many of these relationships were strained by poor communication, lack of commitment, perceived (or real) competition, and personality differences.
In order to create a healthy relationship, mentors and mentees must have clear goals and communicate regularly. A mentor can be a powerful tool for growth, but if the chemistry isn’t right, it can quickly turn into an unproductive partnership.
Which of the following is most likely to create a poor relationship between a mentor?
The nosy mentor
There are a few ways that this type of relationship can go wrong, but it usually starts with the mentor wanting to know everything about you. This includes what you did over the weekend, who your current girlfriend is, if you smoke pot, whether or not you plan on having kids and how you feel about Hillary Clinton vs Bernie Sanders.
The self-centered mentor
This is a common one – when a mentor feels threatened by their juniors, they might inadvertently try to sabotage the mentee or take credit for their work. They may also gossip about them to others or even imply that they’re not good students.
The best way to avoid this kind of scenario is to have an honest conversation with your mentor about what you expect from the relationship. If they can’t respect your boundaries, it might be time to find another mentor.