THE ART OF MENTORING:

Mentoring as defined is a process of helping or advising to an individual or a group of individuals who wish to strive for a similar goal or mutually agreed goals for a win –win situation.

The word ‘help’ or advice makes the process not only different from ‘guide’ but also connote it as an art rather than a mere an activity. Had it been only a science than of course there are many guides on all issues available. This is a complex and subjective activity hence it is an art. The reasons:

1.      Mentoring is based on case to case basis dependent on the nature and the competency of the seeker.

2.      The seeker or the mentee takes his own decision of coming to an individual who can help him

and takes initiative in seeking advice based on the competency or the availability and also the need  for the help.

3.      The mentor desires to help the seeker with a view to make a change in the mentees competency and also knowledge.

4.    Unlike delegation, mentoring is not only the part of the task assigned to the mentor, but it is beyond that .It presumes an effective percolation of the mentor qualities into the mentees for conversion into a talent of core competency.

5.      The mentor is assumed to have certain core competencies and is willing to part the same to the individuals without a competitive feeling. The sole idea is of replicating rather than replacing to get a synergy.

6.      The mentor in this process has to be a part of the activity rather than be a distant visualizer or a spectator. The end result may or may not be a part of task achievement of the mentor, but it definitely enhances the knowledge and competency of the mentees.

7.      The learning imparted by the mentor in form of a help necessarily is from his own experience and performance making this process a tested one and also an effective one. This cannot be a trial from the mentor’s end to the mentee.

8.      The mentor has to invest his time and also mind in studying the seeker’s strength and weakness and thereafter give him an opportunity of growth through effective mentoring and give him power of handling the threat.

9.      Mentoring is not only a competency percolation, but is also an emotional involvement. The mentee should be in position to feel motivated with the help of knowledge/help procured.

10.  Mentor is a team leader rather than a boss who never percolates frustration and is a tank of inspiration.

It is because of the above reason that makes mentoring an art. In life knowingly or unknowingly we do copy many celebrities and it changes our talent. However they are the model for us but not the mentor. The moment such people play a role by effective help in our life than they become mentor. This leads to a conclusion:

All talented people cannot be a mentor and even vice versa. The moment the desire to help somebody becomes your virtue than you are mentor for some needy person

Similarly it is believed that mentors are born not made. This is because the virtue of extending support and advise at times even without fees solely comes from the upbringing and also the grooming an Individual has undergone.

However these days mentoring has become a profession and one can develop his mind to the feeling of extending advice and support with commercial aspect, but that cannot be done without an humanistic orientation and possession of an outstanding competencies.

References:

1.      Madam Jayanti Ravi Commissioner Higher education Government of Gujarat. Gandhinagar.

2.      Mr. Narayan  Spiritual and Management Mentor Vadodara

www.sunderkandsatsangsamuh.org