Why Mentor?
I mentor people when it makes sense and when I feel I can offer value toward their goals. Here I lay out an experience from blogging (I mentor at work and in my hobby circles as well). Mentoring is a win/win and here’s an example from my blogging world.
A while back I picked up Michelle MacPhearson’s ebook called Social Media Daily. It’s 50 or so pages of how to increase backlinks to your blog through social media. In it though, she mentions other methods and one of them is to mentor someone.
I remember when I first read that I was like: “Huh? How would mentoring someone increase backlinks?” Then, just by divine providence or something I began getting questions from noobs right and left through comments and email. I did an experiment and started offering to “mentor” these noobs and that I would not charge a fee. I think a few got freaked out and never wrote back but 4 have been sticking with me and it’s been quite a ride. I learned why Michelle recommends it now. Some reasons are intrinsic rewards of watching someone grow as a blogger. Other reasons are tangible: they will link to you. You become friends in the blogosphere and that is more valuable than anything.
I didn’t mean this to be a long post but it looks like it became that way. I guess I had more to say than I thought.
One new bloggy friend of mine, also a “mentee,” Justin has a blog called Dragon Blogger. He’s already given me 2 backlinks on a couple of my blogs without me asking and today he published a guest blog post I did for his blog giving me a backlink to all three of my blogs. This is awesome.
I hope Justin and I continue working together to meet our common blogging goals. That goes for the other folks I interact with online. It’s as beneficial to the mentor as it is to the mentee. Mentoring is an age-old tradition that more people should return to, even in arenas other than blogging.
In theory, good things like mentoring will add more backlinks (and other great things like friendships) than you can fit on a hard drive.
What’s your take on mentoring and/or being mentored?
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Tags: backlink, Blogging, blogosphere, Guest Blog, intrinsic rewards, journey, macphearson, mentee, mentor, mentoring, tradition
Funny you should do a post on mentoring, I have had numerous bloggers already start asking me questions on how to tailor their blog, convert from blogger to wordpress…etc
It is amazing that I actually only started my first wordpress blog 3 weeks ago and I actually have feedback and am helping others out already.
My Google Analytics post already has had numerous hits, as well as my Post on the Entrecard thing. At my job I am a leader in my field and a technical expert in what I do, so I am used to having people come to me to solve complicated problems or look over their configurations. It is a great feeling to help someone learn and grow as a person.
Keep up the great work, Sensai
PS, I am so embarrassed that i misspelled Sensei and didn’t catch it.
Dragon Bloggers last blog post..Tips for Beginning Bloggers by Damien Riley
LOL. Shows you are one who pays attention to the details man. No worries. Everyone who knows me knows I am the guy with a Master’s in English and more typos than you can shake a stick at.
Hi Damien,
Just like you, I am a fan of mentoring - in academia this is just how things are done. I have only begun to mentor myself, and have been mentored for years.
Many of my friends that are chefs and mechanics that were apprenticed have had the same experience. There is nothing like learning from experience.
I recently had a jerk try to “mentor” me, though, and he did not know anything about my area of study or expertise. I found him annoying and maybe was just trying to impress the people around him or make up for his own insecurities - I hope that all people trying to mentor will do so with the goals of mutual benefits in mind (self growth and growth of the “mentee”), and not do so to make themselves feel important.
Bobbie Dawns last blog post..[Pink] Latex the blo[g]
I think it’s a great thing to do to help each other out and such, however, I’m not sure if calling it mentoring would be preferable to me. For one thing, it sounds all official and stuff, secondly it means there is a hierarchy (mentor-mentee) rather than both learn and help each other. I’m more a fan of just regular networking and friendship.
Nicks last blog post..I’m making progress, eventually I’ll be caught...
Good values there Nick. I used the term with these people I am helping because it was suggested in a Michelle MacPhearson ebook. It felt odd declaring myself a mentor but when you take someone through things like html, wordpress install, tweaks, content, making money etc., it helps to establish you are serious so you don’t waste your time. I’m friends with my mentees and I don’t care what they call me. The important thing is at the beginning it’s a declaration of committment.