Mentors can be essential to the development of your career, helping you grow as a person and in your field while guiding your path to success.
Of those who work with mentors, nearly 100% feel that their mentor has a strong, positive impact on them and is valuable to them.[1]
Over 90% of employees surveyed also said that they’d stay longer at a company if mentoring and learning opportunities were available.[2]
Mentoring isn’t just valued by mentees, either — over 80% of mentors feel empowered by the experience of helping others.[2]
Below, we have more than 50 words to describe a good mentor. Scroll past the list for more details about what makes a great mentor.
Patient
tolerant
Accomplished
highly trained and skilled
Guide
helps you on your path to your goal
Expert
having authoritative knowledge
Knowledgeable
well-informed
Generous
willing to give their time to others
Wise
having knowledge and good judgment
Adviser
a person who gives advice
Adept
skilled
Positive
optimistic
Savvy
knowledgeable and able to make good judgments
Influential
having an impact on other people
Professional
skilled in their field
Successful
accomplished in their field
Constructive
useful
Friendly
kind and pleasant
Inspiring
encouraging others to do well
Teacher
might describe their career or their function as a teacher to their mentees
Reliable
consistently good and trustworthy
Educator
shares knowledge with mentees
Caring
displaying kindness to others
Uplifting
sharing optimism and hope
Respectful
showing respect to mentees
Committed
dedicated to helping others
Supportive
providing encouragement
Invaluable
indispensable
Honest
truthful
Experienced
having gained a lot of knowledge and skill in their field over time
Confident
self-assured
Dedicated
devoted to their work
Enthusiastic
having enjoyment for and interest in helping mentees
Respectable
well-regarded by other people
Kind
considerate
Motivating
inspiring and encouraging
Authoritative
commanding and trustworthy
Social
enjoys spending time with other people
Humble
modest despite their success
Valuable
useful and important
Practiced
having a lot of experience
Sincere
honest and genuine
Intellectual
academic
Smart
intelligent
Capable
able to achieve things
Reassuring
helps you feel less anxious or doubtful
Qualified
trained or certified in their field
Cooperative
working with their mentees toward a common goal
Helpful
willing to give their time and talents to benefit others
Competent
having the knowledge and skill to be successful
Respected
admired by others for their skills and abilities
Skilled
having the knowledge and training to do well in their field
Encouraging
giving support and positivity to others
Effective
successful and good at bringing about results
Available
make themselves open to others for advice and assistance
Skillful
well-practiced and knowledgeable in their field
Exemplary
the best in their field
Direct
able to give honest, clear advice and opinions
Revered
admired and respected by others
Describing the Qualities of a Great Mentor
In the list above, we define each of the adjectives and alternate names that describe mentors.
To help you understand them even better, we’ve grouped many of them into a series of traits that make a great mentor:
- They’re established in their field.
- Your mentor doesn’t need to be decades older than you or at the very top of their field, but they should be established enough to be able to share experiences and knowledge that will be valuable to you.
- Key adjectives: Accomplished, authoritative, experienced, confident, practiced, successful, skilled
- They have a reputation for being helpful and professional.
- Not all people who are successful make great mentors. It requires a combination of experience, skill, and enthusiasm to help others grow and succeed.
- Key adjectives: Respectable, generous, honest, constructive, enthusiastic
- They’re great at solving problems.
- One of the best parts about having a mentor is having someone to turn to for advice when you encounter unexpected challenges. Mentors can call upon their experience to guide you through any confusion or issues you face.
- Key adjectives: Wise, patient, savvy, smart, competent
- They care about your success.
- Great mentors don’t just mentor for their own benefit. While the experience can provide opportunities for both parties to learn and grow, a great mentor will show investment in their mentees and focus on what they can do to help each mentee meet their goals.
- Key adjectives: Supportive, kind, motivating, reassuring, encouraging
- They’re personable.
- Being a mentor requires great people skills. Mentees will gain much more from a mentor who is kind, supportive, and friendly than one who is standoffish or cold.
- Key adjectives: Social, positive, humble, sincere, friendly, respected
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