When you are looking for insurance jobs, you're looking at the job title, location, wages, and more. How important is your future working environment? For new insurance professionals, the informal and formal learning opportunities that are part of a new job play an important role in that employee's future success. When you're designing your workplace to cultivate mentorship, here are four characteristics that every insurance mentor should have.
1. A Mentor is Willing to Share
Mentorship is a relationship based on sharing. Whether you're trying to set up a formal mentorship program or you're looking for informal mentors for new employees, you need to seek out current employees who have skills, knowledge, and expertise and who also value relationships. Look for mentors who are known to be good communicators and relationship-builders and who love to give to others.
2. A Mentor is Committed to Growth
When you're looking for people to join a mentorship program, seek out mentors who are committed to their own learning. They've taken advantage of courses you've offered and they're constantly asking questions and trying to grow within their job. Look for employees who exhibit a growth mindset as well: instead of focusing solely on successful accomplishment, they focus on taking the first steps and making an effort. These are the mentors who will encourage your employees to branch out into areas that are not currently that employee's strength, helping your organization facilitate growth within your existing workforce. By cultivating employees' skills in new areas, you can serve your business needs more effectively. For example, an office administrator who learns more about graphic design could become your go to person for your small-scale design needs.
3. A Mentor is Respected
Mentors act as role models. When you invite people to mentor, choose those who are respected in their field. These individuals are enthusiastic about insurance, and they interact in a respectful and constructive way with others. Your mentors should value the opinions and ideas of other employees, since this will help that person bring all that the company has to offer to your new employees. It will also help the mentor value your new employees' interests and questions. Choose a mentor who has an attitude and a reputation that you'd like your new employees to emulate, one whom those employees will look up to as a natural guide in the field.
4. A Mentor Provides Constructive Criticism
Another role of a mentor is the delicate art of constructive criticism, which can lead to growth for those under the mentor's wing. From your past experience with the employees at your company, who is the gentle yet firm hand who provides a divergent point of view at meetings? Who politely suggests ways that you could do something differently, while respecting the overall goals of the company? An employee who consistently gives constructive feedback in a way that supports other employees and the company's goals is a person who would excel as a mentor.
Are you trying to develop your network in the insurance field? Find mentorship, education, and opportunities for discounts by joining the American Agents Alliance. Learn more about our membership benefits today.
