Giving what is given to you isn’t just a noble concept. There are tangible benefits in the mentoring relationship, for the mentor as well as the mentee. And it’s much more than the honor and pride of being quoted by your mentee in their awards speech.

Of course, there are more than seven benefits, but this list, gleaned from our “How I Made It” interviews,  should be enough to convince you— and you can discover all the other benefits on your own!

1. Develop new perspectives. Working with, and listening to, someone with less experience can expose you to new ideas and new approaches. Any educator will tell you that there’s more to be gained by being the teacher than being the student.
2. Enhance your active listening skills. Finding out what someone else needs to grow and discovering how we can help them is much easier when we’re actively listening to what they have to say. 
3. Become a better leader. Mentoring develops your skills as a motivator, instructor, communicator – learning to lead one or two individuals grows the ability to lead many.
4. Increase your personal satisfaction. Directly contributing to the growth and success of another person feels pretty darn good!
5. Better teamwork. Mentoring is a giant step toward successful team building and long-term loyalty within your organization. 

6. Chahira Solh, 40, Crowell & Moring LLP. Courtesy photo