Here are my top 5 qualities for being a great mentor to others.

1. Work on yourself to remove any hot buttons you might have that others will push. It’s almost guaranteed that one or another of your clients will push any buttons you have. That doesn’t mean that you won’t get frustrated at times. It simply means that you recognise what is happening and how to resolve it. In expressing how you feel and what you are doing, your client is then shown how to operate in any similar situation.

2. It’s important that your own core values are clear so that you can help others clarify their own. This is not about preaching. It’s about discovery and it can be fun! When your values are clear your client knows where he/she stands. It makes it easier to be fair at all times and avoids possible misunderstandings.

3. Be productive and have a good work ethic. If you are late because of a heavy night the night before it’s not a good model for others. If you miss appointments or are unorganised or lazy then my suggestion is to find another line of work. You really won’t be helping your client or yourself.

4. The mindset you employ will influence the client so be optimistic where possible. Even in the most dire situations it’s possible to be creative in finding solutions. If there does not appear to be a creative solution then look at how you can inspire the client to resolve and work through it by offering a goal to work towards.

5. Sometimes no matter what you do the client does not take the steps. It might be you are not a good fit although that is usually discovered early in the piece. Most often the client thinks he/she wishes to step forward. However they are not emotionally ready or there is another step to take first. If you have explored every avenue with your client and still nothing is occurring then have the courage to step aside. This is another way of being a role model and often ignored. If you persist then you are a role model for sacrifice. Your client will thank you in the end.

Each of these is an element of earth, air, fire, water or aether. Which is which? We’ll explore these more in our next blog series.

Let me know how you feel about them and perhaps we can discuss further in the next Facebook live which will be May 7th.