Research has shown that a third ingredient can greatly increase success. That ingredient is someone who believes in them and can help them shape their dream into reality. These people are mentors. A good mentor seeks to help a student optimize an educational experience, to assist the student's socialization into a disciplinary culture, and to assist the student in his or her quest for suitable employment. In general, an effective mentoring relationship is characterized by mutual respect, trust, understanding, and empathy.
Good mentors are able to share life experiences and wisdom, as well as technical expertise.
They are good listeners, good observers, and good problem-solvers. They make an effort to know, accept, and respect the goals and interests of a student. A mentoring relationship develops over an extended period, during which a proteges needs and the nature of the relationship tend to change. A mentor will try to be aware of these changes and vary the degree and type of attention, help, advice, information, and encouragement that he or she provides. All of us have the potential to be a mentor because all of us have something to share.