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
