The benefits of being an OneUpOneDown mentor

One of the surprising realizations we’ve had since starting OneUpOneDown is that the experience of being a mentor is as valuable as being a mentee. Most people think that mentorship is primarily for the benefit of the mentee. However, this is not the case. It’s a rich learning and joyful experience for both mentor and mentee if the match is a good one.

We have received a lot of wonderful feedback from our mentors about what they have learned about themselves through the process. The meaningful experiences and connections they have developed as a result.

Near-peer mentorship means that the mentor is often just a couple of steps ahead of the mentee. The experience that the mentee is going through is still highly relevant and interesting for the mentor. It’s an opportunity for the mentor to reflect on their own recent growth, which helps to cement learnings and build confidence and self-worth. It also often means that the mentor and mentee have a lot in common in terms of life stage. We find that great matches often transpire into lasting friendships once the 3-month match is complete.

It’s an opportunity to practice and improve important leadership skills, including being an effective listener, questioner, and empowerer of action. Many of the mentors who have signed up are aware of this and welcome the opportunity to continue improving or maintaining this skill. For example, some of the women who have signed up have been managers but are no longer managing people and want to keep this practice up.

Helping others helps mentors get out of their heads and gain perspective by experiencing challenges through your mentees eyes. This is a refreshing and energizing exercise.

As the saying goes…

Helping others may just be the secret to living a life that is not only happier but also healthier, wealthier, more productive, and meaningful.

We buy it! 🙂 Be part of our journey and become a mentor, mentee or both. It’s free.