Mentors are perceptive, highly adaptable and versatile, which enables them to interact effectively with diverse people and cope with sudden changes. They thrive in dynamic environments, love trying out new concepts and ideas, and show a lot of creativity. Mentors are quintessentially social and human contact is a necessity. They are natural diplomats and typically possess high emotional intelligence. Mentors are good listeners and are great at smoothing over conflicts in a non-confrontational manner because of their sense of fairness.
Mentors are highly perceptive individuals. Their approachable, sensitive, cooperative and supportive nature is what sets them apart. They can communicate effectively with colleagues and express appreciation for good performance and ideas.
The Mentor is engaged in the development of people through a caring and compassionate approach. Mentors are normally extroverts with mild and friendly dispositions. They understand that they are as much a facilitator as they are a leader.
Mentors also tend to have an incredibly adaptable personality. As caring people, they are happy to adapt their working styles and communication to the needs of colleagues and clients. This adaptable personality often makes mentors popular in the workplace.
Workplace
Mentors are strongly group-oriented, and highly perceptive individuals. They are typically friendly and compliant. They focus on creating a positive atmosphere and a sense of unity within the organisation. They are sensitive and supportive towards others. The Mentor is a good listener and quickly senses how others feel. They dislike conflict, and do their utmost to use their tact and diplomacy to avoid these from occurring in the organisation. Thanks to their empathy and communicative skills, they bring team members closer together. They are constantly looking for balance, steering the middle course.
The Mentor has insight to both self and others, sees the unique in everybody and knows what to expect of individuals. Their understanding of traits and individualistic characteristics means they see the possibilities in the organisation for each individual. The Mentor increases their capacities through competence management, personal development plans and individual coaching. Their unconditional faith in individual capacities means they can more easily delegate and share challenging tasks. The Mentor is a good listener and rarely judges too rapidly. They improve the self-confidence and emotional conscience of people, and develop their capacity to evaluate and stretch themselves.
Mentors love people, and their sensing characteristic puts a premium on making sure that everyone’s voice is heard.
Team Dynamic
A Mentor is the greasy oil between the cogs that keeps the machine that is the team running. The beneficial effect of a Mentor is often not noticed until they are absent, when the team begins to argue, and small but important things cease to happen. With their adaptable personality, the Mentor plays the role of negotiator within the team and provides the support to ensure that team members are working together effectively.
If Mentors notice that other team members are not coping with their workload, they are likely to step in and assist. Because of this, Mentors tend to be popular with colleagues and often rise to senior positions.
Mentors are very capable in their own right, and know what issues are confronting the team. Their priority is team cohesion and they are adept at getting a team to function well together as a unit. The main contribution of the Mentor is to help individual members to achieve and maintain team effectiveness. Having a Mentor on your team is essential to keeping team members happy and productivity high.
Mentors like a versatile team, with a very collaborative approach that allows team members to play off of one another’s strengths. They look at what each individual brings to the table and assign projects with those strengths in mind. They make people feel comfortable in their roles first and then encourage them to stretch outside their comfort zones. They believe in breeding confidence in their teams. Fuelling that dedication to delivering the best results for the team is crucial to the Mentor.
Other Personas
According to the Mentor, people are a means of production that can be developed. The Mentor helps to develop skills, provides opportunity for education and training, and plans for individual development. The most adaptable personality, mentors are seen to be the most supportive persona, concerned about how others are feeling and with a great capacity to adapt readily to different situations and different people.
Mentors are understanding and take the time to listen to others. They have high levels of empathy and sensitivity. Mentors understand very well the art of supporting the emotional well-being of other people. They work to improve communication, develop others, and help others achieve their full potential. Where a Shaper is more focused on the group, a Mentor is more focused on individuals, and getting the most out of each team member.
Blind Spots
Mentors can be indecisive, non-committal and avoid making difficult decisions. Further, because of an unwillingness to take sides a Mentor may be reluctant to take decisive action when it is needed. In general, the Mentor’s pitfall is that they tend to avoid problems in the group. This is a shame, because, like no other, their sensitivity allows them to feel what is causing the problem.
Mentors may struggle under pressure and may lack toughness or robustness when facing conflict. They should be mindful of seeming too nice. The desire to show appreciation can be at odds with the need to be tough in negotiations, or more forceful with someone who isn’t pulling their weight.
Because Mentors are so drawn to a good atmosphere, they can sometimes unwillingly create a whimsical atmosphere in which matters are not taken seriously. This can lead to the Mentor being too lenient, and sometimes evading responsibility. Alternatively, team members may view them as a soft touch, or not take them seriously.
How to get the best out of Mentors
Mentors should be encouraged to take difficult decisions and to avoid siding with one team member against another, or forming cliques. They should use their skills to develop team members and to delegate more. They also need to be reminded that it’s not always possible to keep everyone happy all of the time.
Many mentors perform well in positions of leadership, especially in areas where they have a high level of expertise. As highly perceptive individuals, mentors are particularly aware of their team’s strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to get the most out of each team member.
Mentors should be encouraged to point out legitimate problems and shortcomings for the sake of keeping the team together. By doing so they will build the trust and confidence of Analysts and Directors who often lose sight of the Mentors feel-good messages.
Favoured Careers
You’ll find Mentors in all sorts of careers, but the careers they most favour are listed below.
Mentor Careers
Academic
Actor
Aerospace Engineer
Analyst
Animal Trainer
Archeologist
Archivist
Art Historian
Arts and Media
Astronomer
Athlete
Athletic Trainer
Author
Bar Owner
Bartender
Beautician
Biochemist
Biologist
Biomedical Engineer
Biotechnology
Body Piercer
Book Editor
Bookseller
Bookstore Owner
Broadcaster
Camera Operator
Cardiologist
Career in the Entertainment Industry
Career in the Fashion Industry
Career in the Music Industry
Career in the Performing Arts
Career in the Television Industry
Casting Director
Chemical Engineer
Chemist
Chemistry Teacher
Child Care Worker
Child Psychologist
Childcare Worker
Civil Servant
Clinical Psychologist
Coach
College Professor
Comedian
Computer Engineer
Computer Programmer
Computer Scientist
Computer Tech
Cosmetologist
Costume Designer
Counselor
Creative Director
Curator
Dance Teacher
Dancer
Data Analyst
Early Childhood Educator
Editor
Elementary/Primary Teacher
Engineer
English Profesor
English Teacher
Entertainer
Entertainment Industry
Environmental Scientist
Environmentalist
Event Coordinator
Fashion Designer
Fashion Editor
Fashion Merchandiser
Firefighter
Flight Attendant
Forensic Anthropologist
Forensic Psychologist
Forensic Scientist
Fundraiser
Geneticist
Genetics Researcher
Geologist
Government Employee
Guidance Counselor
Hair Dresser
Hair Stylist
Healer
High School Teacher
Historian
History Professor
Home Maker
Hospitality Worker
Information Technology Consultant
Information Technology Manager
Interior Decorator
Interior Designer
Kindergarten/Nursery Teacher
Lab Technician
Libary Assistant
Librarian
Lifeguard
Linguist
Makeup Artist
Massage Therapist
Math Teacher
Mathematician
Medical Doctor
Medical Examiner
Medical Researcher
Microbiologist
Military Intelligence
Model
Movie Director
Movie Star
Museum Curator
Music Industry
Music Journalist
Music Performer
Music Producer
Music Therapist
Musician
Nanny
Neurologist
Neurosurgeon
News Reader
Non Profit Sector
Novelist
Nuclear Engineer
Pediatric Nurse
Performer
Performing Arts
Philosopher
Philosophy Professor
Photo Journalist
Photographer
Physical Therapist
Physicist
Police Officer
Preschool Teacher
Professional Photographer
Professor Of English
Psychiatrist
Psychoanalyst
Psychologist
Psychotherapist
Public Relations Manager
Publisher
Race Car Driver
Radio DJ
Receptionist
Record Store Owner
Record Store Owner or Employee
Research Assistant
Research Psychologist
Research Scientist
Researcher
Scholar
School Counselor
Scientist
Singer
Social Services Worker
Social Worker
Songwriter
Special Education Worker
Sports Management
Stage Manager
Stay at Home Parent
Strategist
Stylist
Surgeon
Systems Analyst
Tattoo Artist
Technician
Television Industry
Theatre Industry
Theologian
Therapist
TV Producer
Waiter
Waiter/Waitress
Wedding Planner
Youth Minister
Youth Pastor
So, what's your Personality?
Click Personality Types below to find out more
The Big 5 Personality Test is the best psychometric test there is at predicting success in life and careers. Take our free personality test to discover what truly motivates you and the dominant personality traits that make you who you are.
1. Pioneer
Pioneers enable change and adaptation, and pay attention to the changing environment. They spot important trends, express ideas, anticipate change, and manage uncertainty and risk.
Brokers enjoy making new contacts and maintaining existing relations. They are communicative and open. They are able to exert influence and make use of their networks to get results.
Achievers are task-oriented and focused. They make high demands on themselves and others. Competitive and able to tolerate stress, they continuously aim high and track their results.
Directors are long term thinkers, focused on the future. They seek to clarify expectations through processes, planning and setting goals. They tend to be an initiator who defines problems.
The Anchor maintains the structure and flow. They are trustworthy and reliable, and focused on tasks such as organising and coordinating efforts of the team, dealing with logistical issues.
Analysts know what is happening by breaking problems apart to see all the alternatives. They focus on gathering information and data, and looking at situations from different perspectives.
The Shaper promotes cooperation and teamwork. They are typically process-oriented, contributing to cohesion and morale, establishing participation and promoting team problem solving.
Mentors achieve success by developing people through a caring and compassionate approach. They are helpful, caring, sensitive, approachable, open and fair. Mentors listen to others.
