Mentoring Online – Finally a Positive of Covid.

With years washed out due to the pandemic of Covid, we often forget to look at the bright side. Yes, covid has a bright side. People have been able to stop and reflect on their lives, work out what they want to do, realize the things that are more important to them. This includes:

• Spending more time with family
• Creating their own business
• Changing their way of life.
• Improving themselves through Online Mentoring.

That last one is what we wish to bring to light today. However, there are some things that you may wish to know before I explain why it is a positive of Covid, like; What is a mentor? How to find a mentor? What are the benefits of having a mentor?

Read on to discover the answers to these questions and more.

What is a Mentor?

The definition of a mentor is someone who guides a person with less experience by building trust, teaching skills, and helping them to enhance their own positive traits.

Examples of mentors have been seen throughout history, even as far back as 3000 years where a mentor was spoken about in Homer’s Odyssey, an Ancient Greek Poem. More modern mentors can be seen through relationships such as Maya Angelou had in mentoring Oprah Winfrey, or Warren Buffett had in mentoring Bill Gates.

You may already have mentors in your life, people that you look up to and try to emulate, people who help you to see the best way of doing things. They could be a colleague, family member, friend, or even a neighbour.

How to Find a Mentor?

Sometimes a situation may call where you are needing a mentor. Maybe you’ve taken a job in management and need help developing your social skills, or it could be that you’ve started a business and need help organizing yourself. These are both situations where looking for a mentor is a great idea.

Ways to find a Mentor include:

• Asking someone you admire to mentor you. Be polite, be nice, tell them why you are asking them. If you do not know why you are asking them, study them, see what it is about them that you want to see in yourself, then ask.
• Use online sites designed to connect you with willing mentors. Tryamentor.com is one of these sites. By knowing what it is you want to be mentored in and asking for a mentor on here, you can be paired with the perfect mentor for you. Remember though, it helps to get to know your mentor a little first and make sure you are compatible. When you have found the mentor you want, make sure a good mentee, communicate with them.

What are the Benefits of Having a Mentor?

There are many benefits to having a mentor. These include, but are not limited to:

• Seeing from a new perspective.
• Understanding your strengths and weaknesses.
• Talking out your issues on the subject.
• Learning new techniques from someone who really knows and understands what you are trying to accomplish.
• Receiving the encouragement and empowerment that can help you achieve your goals.
• They always help you achieve self-confidence and believe in yourself.

How has Covid helped?

The importance of mentoring has become apparent during these times of stress.

Think about what has happened this past year:

• People have been working from home, they haven’t had access to workplace training.
• People who have problems with communication haven’t been able to practice social skills, they are falling back into reclusive shells.
• Schools have closed, universities have been spotty, colleges are practically forgotten. That is the training of the next generation that has taken a hard hit.

I know this doesn’t sound like Covid has helped much, but what it has done is highlight the need for mentors to be helping people online.

How have Mentors Used Covid to Help People?

While people have been trapped in their homes mentoring online found a way to thrive. Using online systems such as Skype, mentors have been able to connect with mentees and help them better themselves during the covid season.

While covid lockdowns thrived, some people saw the opportunity to learn new skills. This has been a chance for many to connect with a mentor, realize their dreams, and follow them.

Covid, while evil in many ways, was a big help to many people as the insecurities and issues in their lives was brought to the forefront. Mentors have been able to connect with them and help them turn these insecurities into securities, issues have been worked through with sound advice and good direction.

Young university students have fallen flat instead of finishing university courses. An hour a week one on one with a mentor has helped these young ones to decide how they can use their training most effectively, they have taught them skills often earned through experience, and they have helped set them on the path to their career with renewed confidence.

Thanks to Covid, people have seen the need to connect with a mentor online, improve their lives and become better people. Finally, something positive has come out of covid!