Mentoring - What Is It About?

Mentoring: Your 3 Minute Read...

Having a mentor can be a lifeline. It can be the difference between being successful (bearing in mind that success does not equate to riches and is therefore relative) and remaining stagnant. Mentoring enables development, growth and character. Mentoring is empowering. Mentoring can be hugely beneficial for anyone regardless of age, colour or ability.

Having a mentor does not guarantee a mistake free life. Having a mentor does not mean you will never have apprehensions or fearful moments ever again. Having a mentor will not make you an instant millionaire. A mentor is not a genie with three, seven or fifteen wishes or steps to instant success. A mentor is not Santa Claus, neither is it a substitute parent.

I have listed several points on what mentoring is and what it is not. All in all, mentoring is subjective; it really is personal to you. I know several people (including myself), who have received or are being mentored, yet we all gain different things from our mentoring experience.

One of the benefits I receive from being mentored is encouragement... It goes a long way in helping to build up and strengthen someone. I remember parts of an early, early conversation I had with my mentor. To be honest, I cannot remember the exact way in which the conversation began, but I do remember her response…

“You are the type who has eagle’s wings quite alright, but spend longer than the average eagle on the runway, I am the one who winks at you and says YOU CAN DO THIS....YES EVEN BETTER THAN ME...”

After that conversation, I ran outside and up to the highest hill I could find singing R. Kelly’s ‘I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky…I believe I can soar, see me running through that open door…I believe I can fly…………….ooooh…’ I took a long jump of that hill and… Of course I am just kidding, I didn’t run up any hill. However, I honestly believed I could fly (metaphorically).

Regardless of the current level of confidence, encouragement helps to develop or increase confidence. Bobb Biehl, an executive mentor and founder or Masterplanning Group International, puts it eloquently:

‘There are developmental benefits. For many protégés, mentoring is the relationship God uses to help them develop confidence…’

Mentoring can be an aid in any aspect of life, here are some general examples: career development, training, personal development, grades or target reaching, behaviour improvement, spiritual life, personal life, etc. In a nutshell, the sole purpose of mentoring is to help and support the development of another person.

Mentoring is about passing on - paying forward the good, the inspiration, the encouragement, the wisdom you have received. Here are some famous examples of mentoring:

• Elijah to Elisha

• Naomi to Ruth

• Paul to Timothy

• Jerry Kellman was a mentor to President Obama

• Mark Dyer, childhood mentor to Prince William

Ok, your three minutes are over... Thank you for reading. If you want to know more about mentoring, contact us at JUT.

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