Do you want your team to perform at its peak? It might be time to consider working on these essential mentoring attributes.
The beauty of being a mentor is seeing the success of the brokers you take under your wing, says MFAA certified mentor Nancy Youssef."I’m seeing a lot of results among my mentees, in that they are starting to settle a lot of loans,” says Youssef. “We have had probably just under $200m lodged, with a high conversion rate. The first 12 loans that each mentee writes must be validated, so they come to us for validation first.”
Youssef is currently mentoring 24 new brokers with another six joining in February. In order to run the MFAA Certified Mentor program effectively, she works with small groups of no more than six at a time. She has come a long way since she first weighed up even becoming a mentor.
“When I got approached about becoming a mentor, I initially thought I didn’t have time for it,” says Youssef. “But then I began to see it as a separate business and a bit of a succession plan as well. I had been a broker for 10 years and I was wondering what the next 10 years would hold.”
In order to become a mentor, the MFAA requires that a broker must have a minimum of five years’ experience before joining its Train the Mentor program.
And recently, a couple of brokers who have received mentorship through the MFAA Certified Mentor Program in the past have decided to take this route to becoming mentors themselves.
“This is very pleasing to see and a true testament to the success of this program when executed correctly,” she adds.
Youssef says a successful mentor must have the following attributes:
- Be able to provide clear instructions and knowledge.
- Be approachable, no matter what sort of day you are having.
- Be patient, authentic and have a genuine passion for helping people become successful.
- Have a personality that will suit the mentee. You will be working with the mentee for two years, so it’s crucial that the relationship is healthy, with both parties committed to success. The mentor must set the expectations early and they both must understand what each party requires from the other.
- Most importantly, have time management skills to be able to allocate the time required for the amount of support and assistance mentoring requires.
How do you inspire your new brokers? Have your say below.
