MENTOR

In Greek mythology, Odysseus entrusted his fiend Mentor with the full care and education of his son, Telemachus. Because of Mentor's near-paternal relationship with Telemachus, the term Mentor has been adopted as a term meaning a parent-like teacher.

Mentors provide expertise to less experienced individuals to help them advance their careers, enhance their education, and build their networks. Many teams organise mentoring programs in which newcomers are paired with more experienced people, who act as friends and guides. In fact a major contribution that any person can make to his team and organisation is being a mentor to others.

The qualities of an effective mentor include risk taking, trustworthiness, a depth of knowledge and above all being emotionally strong. They engage in showing concern for the development of team members, giving good counsel when required and motivating the necessary struggle of their protégé towards progress.

While we see glowing examples of successful team persons who have grown through mentoring, it is also pertinent to note that too few, among us, are ready to devote time and initiative to the task of mentoring. The reasons range from an inability to share to the lack of patience to cheer from the sidelines. However, if we seek to leave a legacy in our lifetime, we must choose to be better at mentoring.

First we must make the choice to give time to share our experience along with care, concern and participation in the protégé’s progress. However, it is important that the mentor is not a back seat driver or just a how-to-do lecturer. But surely, it is a desirable role since the mentor too moves to higher planes as he mentors his mentorees.

Don’t just lead or be an occasional tutor,

Let’s BE BETTER at being a mentor !

- Pravin K. Sabnis