Mentor
The mentor applies the theoretical understanding and commitment to both be mentored and be a mentor who is committed to developing others (MA Leadership Capstone Handbook, 2013). Mentoring, on the other hand, was defined as a process for the information [and formal] transition of knowledge, social capital, and the psychosocial support perceived by the recipient as relevant to work, career, or professional development (Bozeman & Feeney, 2007).
The topic of mentoring has been receiving a considerable attention recently among practitioners, academics, and in industry as a means to professional and personal development (Rekha & Ganesh, 2012). Mentoring is considered one of the major competencies in leadership. Leaders as mentors, guide, coach, and teach their followers to achieve not only the organization’s goal, but the individual’s goal as well. Traditionally, mentoring has been defined as a process wherein the older experienced individual acts as a guide, counselor, and a friend to a younger, inexperienced individual (Rekha & Ganesh, 2012). Today is different. It is very common now to see a peer-to-peer mentoring where both mentor and mentee are almost the same age level or generation.
A collaboration is one the new developments in mentoring. The majority of the mentoring programs nowadays involve not only the mentor’s perspective, but the mentee’s as well. Mentoring is a collaborative learning and teaching. It involves listening and dialogue that evokes learning in every level; it respects both the mentor and the mentee as subject or decision makers of their own learning, and evoking their own learning (Freire 1972 as cited in Vella, 2008).
Zachary (2012) defined mentoring in seven critical elements: (1) reciprocity – mentor and mentee responsibilities and contributions; (2) learning – this is the purpose of mentoring; (3) relationship – it motivates, inspires, and supports learning and development; (4) partnership – it helps establish agreements anchored in trust; (5) collaboration – actively working together to achieve a common goal; (6) mutually defined goals; and (7) development – providing appropriate support, challenge, and help for the mentee. These elements clearly describe that mentoring is a commitment and engagement between the mentor and the mentee.
My Role as a Mentor
I am always been involved in a mentoring relationship, and majority of those experiences were in informal ways, both as a mentor and as a mentee. Most of the time, my role as a mentor falls under a peer-to-peer mentoring. I supervised, coached, and mentored new employees in the organization, guided them from day one until they learn what they need to learn. Being a mentor is not an easy task. It takes a lot of effort, time, knowledge, and skills to act as one. In a mentoring relationship, both mentors and mentee are required to be committed and engaged.
My mentoring portfolio from LDRS 516 refreshed my ideas and knowledge in mentoring. During the nine-week class session, students were required to be in a mentoring relationship. The mentoring portfolio project was a collaborative project between my mentee and me. It was an engage dialogue, motivational, and mutually defined learning.
The topic of mentoring has been receiving a considerable attention recently among practitioners, academics, and in industry as a means to professional and personal development (Rekha & Ganesh, 2012). Mentoring is considered one of the major competencies in leadership. Leaders as mentors, guide, coach, and teach their followers to achieve not only the organization’s goal, but the individual’s goal as well. Traditionally, mentoring has been defined as a process wherein the older experienced individual acts as a guide, counselor, and a friend to a younger, inexperienced individual (Rekha & Ganesh, 2012). Today is different. It is very common now to see a peer-to-peer mentoring where both mentor and mentee are almost the same age level or generation.
A collaboration is one the new developments in mentoring. The majority of the mentoring programs nowadays involve not only the mentor’s perspective, but the mentee’s as well. Mentoring is a collaborative learning and teaching. It involves listening and dialogue that evokes learning in every level; it respects both the mentor and the mentee as subject or decision makers of their own learning, and evoking their own learning (Freire 1972 as cited in Vella, 2008).
Zachary (2012) defined mentoring in seven critical elements: (1) reciprocity – mentor and mentee responsibilities and contributions; (2) learning – this is the purpose of mentoring; (3) relationship – it motivates, inspires, and supports learning and development; (4) partnership – it helps establish agreements anchored in trust; (5) collaboration – actively working together to achieve a common goal; (6) mutually defined goals; and (7) development – providing appropriate support, challenge, and help for the mentee. These elements clearly describe that mentoring is a commitment and engagement between the mentor and the mentee.
My Role as a Mentor
I am always been involved in a mentoring relationship, and majority of those experiences were in informal ways, both as a mentor and as a mentee. Most of the time, my role as a mentor falls under a peer-to-peer mentoring. I supervised, coached, and mentored new employees in the organization, guided them from day one until they learn what they need to learn. Being a mentor is not an easy task. It takes a lot of effort, time, knowledge, and skills to act as one. In a mentoring relationship, both mentors and mentee are required to be committed and engaged.
My mentoring portfolio from LDRS 516 refreshed my ideas and knowledge in mentoring. During the nine-week class session, students were required to be in a mentoring relationship. The mentoring portfolio project was a collaborative project between my mentee and me. It was an engage dialogue, motivational, and mutually defined learning.