2023
9 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD MENTOR
Ask anyone who has “made it” in officiating about the people who have helped them along the way and they will without a doubt have a list of those who have influenced them. Being a good mentor is a great way to give back to the game, but it’s not for everyone. So what does it take to succeed at this challenging task?
Adaptability
Times have officially changed. Technology has become an important educational tool in all sports at all levels. Whether it’s using an app in your pregame, setting up an online study group or clipping and sharing game video, mentors have the ability to change with the times. They look for ways to incorporate technology and use it to their advantage. As games change, so do rules, mechanics and philosophies that go along with them. Mentors stay on top of those changes (and at times even influence the change). My own mentor always says, “If you aren’t keeping up, you’ll constantly be catching up.”
Approachability
A mentee has to feel comfortable talking to his or her mentor. A mentoring relationship is not just about the business, it’s personal. Mentors build trust early on in order to establish confidence in the relationship. They know that they need to initiate conversation that makes a potential mentee feel comfortable. Sometimes it’s as simple as recognizing and reaching out to officials who have recently been added to a league they work to say, “Congratulations,” or, “I’m here for you!”
