The concepts mentor and mentee do overlap. While doing their research, the authors of Centre of Creative Leadership explored some fascinating fact: 50% of what we learn, we earn from experience.
We learn 20% from mentors and coaches. We learn 20% from failures. We gain 10% from formal education.
In Hebrew, ‘Rabbi’ is a great teacher. In Sanskrit, a ‘guru’ is one with great knowledge and wisdom. ‘Gu’ means darkness and ‘ru’ means light. Therefore, a ‘guru’ takes someone from darkness to light. In Japan, a ‘sensei’ is someone who has gone farther down the path. In martial arts, it is the designation for master. In Tibet, a ‘lama’ is one with spirituality and authority to teach.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the ‘Delai Lama’ is the highest-ranking teacher. In Italy, a ‘maestro’ is a master teacher of music. It is the short form of ‘maestro de capella’ meaning the master of the chapel. In France, a ‘tutor’ is a private teacher. It dates back to the 14th Century. It meant someone who served as a security guard. In England, a ‘guide’ is someone who knows and shows the way. It focuses on the ability to see, and point out better and brighter path. In Greece, a ‘mentor’ is a wise and trusted advisor.
SAGE Concept
In a heroic book titled Managers as Mentors, Chip R. Bell uses the acronym SAGE to summarise mentorship. ‘S’ stands for surrendering, where there is leveling of learning. There is kindling kinship as the mentor establishes rapport with mentee. ‘A’ connotes acceptance, which creates a safe haven for risk-taking. The process of moving from novice to mastery is clear like crystal: the protégé must embrace the risk of making and mending mistakes.
In order to take such a risk, particularly in the presence of another person, courage is required. ‘G’ means gifting. In most cases, mentors offer the gift of advice and more to their mentees. Again, the mentor’s greatest gift addresses the power of passion, spirit and enthusiasm in the mentorship relationship.
‘E’ stands for extending. This focuses on nurturing a self-directed learner, which ensures the transfer of learning. It also focuses on managing the sweet sorrow that follows life after the close mentorship and leadership. For almost every mentoring relationship eventually ends. At some point, the disciple outgrows the winsome wisdom of the master. In such instances, the protégés learning should shift to an area requiring a different mentor. Meaning, the mentor or mentee moves to a new role or place.
In actual sense, a mentor leads by showing a true example. A mentor does not tell you what to do, but shows you how to do it. In life, you are either a mentor or tormentor, just like you can be either a warning or an example. You have the latitude to choose who you want to be.
In a good book titled Unstoppable: Achieving Excellence and Beyond, Rosemary Kibui and Timothy Kipchumba contend that a mentor is a trusted person who is more experienced in life that can inspire you to achieve your dreams. Having a mentor in life is good. Why? Because your mentor determines your mentality. What you fail to learn through mentorship, you will learn through experimentation. Apostle Paul of Tarsus mentored Timothy. In their model of mentorship, we learn that once you get mentorship, you should also mentor others. Mentorship is leadership.
No wonder, in 2 Timothy 2:2 (KJV), Paul pens these wise words with confident conviction, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
Socrates mentored Aristotle. Aristotle mentored Plato, and Plato in turn mentored Alexander the Great. In business, Steve Jobs mentored Mark Zuckerberg. No wonder, Laurent D. Daloz succinctly said, “Mentors are guides; they lead us along a journey of our lives, we trust them because they have been there before us.”
Characteristics of mentors
Mentors are people who fear God. They possess positive qualities and attributes that you admire. They are outstanding leaders in their fields of specialization. Mentors are always available when you need their counsel. You can easily meet, greet them and drink from their deep wells of wit and wisdom. They are people who always keep learning. They love and cherish knowledge. Mentors are people who can listen aptly and offer hope and help. They are people who highly inspire and motivate you.
Confucius, the great Chinese philosopher, put it aptly, “When you see a man of worth, think of how you may emulate him.” You do not attain mastery in a particular field just in a jiffy. Firstly, you must accept to be an apprentice, journeyman, and then a master. Apprentice means a learner. It stems from the French word ‘appendre’, which means to learn.
By Victor Ochieng’
The writer is an editor, author, trainer, and peripatetic speaker. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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