Mentorship

We tend to think of mentorship as a very modern term. But the fact is that it grew out of a Greek mythological story where the goddess Athena took the form of a person called Mentor in order to aid Prince Telemachus in his quest to find his father. Mentorships are now an indispensable part of work culture in many countries. So what’s the big deal about mentorship? Mentorship is an invaluable tool for turning one’s vision into reality and research has consistently found mentored individuals to be more satisfied and committed to their professions than non-mentored individuals.

The role of a mentor is to offer wisdom and advice, as well as provide encouragement and moral support. A good mentee will have an open mind so as to be teachable, and be receptive in order to be moulded. The mentee must also have clear objectives that are specific and measurable. 

The relationship between mentor and mentee is not always smooth sailing. If the bounds of the relationship are not clearly understood, a mentee may be overly dependent on a mentor, expecting micromanagement instead of just career advice and counsel. On the other hand, mentors may take advantage of the situation and exploit their mentees. Problems with mentoring may be minimized when both parties have clear expectations of what the professional relationship entails.

There will come a time for separation or the end of a mentoring relationship. The relationship may end for a number of reasons - there may be nothing left to learn or the mentee may want to establish an independent identity. The relationship can however evolve into a more collegial relationship or social friendship. 

Isaac Newton said, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Do you have a giant in your life? Or are you in a place to be one?