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14 The Nevada Traverse Vol.51, No.3, 2024recognize where they could improve and where they could step up their game,%u201d he explains. While even casual conversations can be helpful, aligning behind a common goal and shared vision will help ensure that the mentor relationship remains strong and productive long-term.4. Cater to Diverse Learning Styles Surveying is a very hands-on and tactile profession, yet all learners typically fall somewhere on a spectrum between favoring audio and visual instruction. Take a moment to consider the patterns of your preferred style of teaching, your mentee%u2019s preferred style of learning, and then do the work needed to bridge that gap.Joshua is very intentional in offering a variety of teaching methods to the employees he educates. %u201cI started with the survey group, and I let them pick the topics they wanted to cover. From there, I would have written and oral things, and then we would do hands-on things in the field because everybody learns differently. I would try to emphasize that while there are traditional survey practices that never change, how you get from A to B could be accomplished 57 different ways %u2014 so don%u2019t get hung up on my way of doing it.%u201d Melding classroom-style instruction with work in the field helped Joshua get outside his comfort zone and understand more about the mentees he was trying to influence. And there is no doubt that the newest wave of workers appreciate variety. %u201cThe current generation of new professionals have a different working style, a different belief system %u2014 a different everything. It%u2019s up to managers and leaders to figure out who these young people are, meet them on their level, and learn about where they%u2019re coming from,%u201d says Adrian. 5. Provide Constructive Feedback Giving constructive criticism can make some people uncomfortable. However, communicating clearly, honestly, and often is necessary to create competent professionals and prevent bigger problems down the road. %u201cConstructive feedback is an ongoing theme, and it can%u2019t be done annually. You can give an annual review, but really, it%u2019s a day-today expectation,%u201d says Adrian.Think about the qualities of a good parent, then translate them to the business world: If your mentee or your direct reports aren%u2019t doing something you need them to do %u2014 or they%u2019re not doing it the right way %u2014 you should talk to them, not ignore it.%u201cSmall corrections will never upset the boat, but when you wait until it becomes a large correction, it tends to upheave all the progress you%u2019re making,%u201d says Joshua. He gave the example of a field crew that continually screwed up and made the same mistake. But instead of telling the field crew they were doing something wrong, the office staff just fixed it themself. The lack of communication can lead to a field crew doing things incorrectly for years, assuming it%u2019s the proper way things are done.%u201cIt%u2019s like, when you%u2019re not there, who%u2019s fixing it in the office? What happens then? It%u2019s having that environment where everybody feels that they matter and they%u2019re wanting to be engaged,%u201d Joshua says. On a different note, Rob recalls a time when his talented engineer mentee kept applying for promotions and striking out. Finally, he suggested that his mentee switch his Van Halen t-shirts and jeans for Dockers and a dress shirt. The next time he interviewed six months later, he got promoted. The power of honest, constructive communication is powerful across the board %u2014 from your mentee relationship and beyond.6. Encourage NetworkingYou may develop a wonderful relationship with your mentee, but keep in mind that they might benefit from mentorship from others. This doesn%u2019t mean you are failing as a mentor %u2014 far from it. %u201cA mentee may come to you and say %u2018Hey, can you help me understand this?%u2019 And sometimes you go, nope, but I know somebody who can. That%u2019s part of sharing the mentoring load, but it also expands their network and shows them exactly why networking is so critical to advancement,%u201d says Rob. Sometimes, this means young surveyors learn very specific skills from different people.%u201cFor me, mentoring is not a person. It%u2019s more like, oh this person is really great at building relationships. This person is really great at communication. This person is really great at cutting through red tape and figuring out processes. This person is really strong technically. What can I learn from them?%u201d says Tasha. Making multiple connections can only add value in the long term.Whether it%u2019s networking within your state association, your chapter associations, or your business-to-business environment, the combined value of those relationships can be even more valuable than a college education. 7. Foster Professional DevelopmentIn order to propel your mentee to the next level, often this means encouraging them to pursue continuing education %u2014 or even better, funding it. Cluing them into relevant conferences, inviting them to attend meetings at your local chapter, and pinpointing resources that support their interests will all help your mentee succeed. In the ideal scenario, employers offer a continuing education stipend that literally pays employees to keep learning.David gave the example of the evening dinner meetings that he often attends for the California Land Surveyors Association. %u201cI%u2019m taking time as an LSIT out of my personal life to go to these meetings and rub elbows with some surveyors. Now that I%u2019m in more of a leadership role, I%u2019m saying, %u2018Hey, we need more land survey techs in here. If any of them show up, we%u2019re buying them dinner!%u2019 It%u2019s a good idea to incentivize employees to attend these meetings and realize the benefits of the networking and professional development that you get, because it%u2019s paid off big time for me over my career.%u201d Mentor Relationships... continued from previous page