We never stop needing role models.
That notion has been around since forever, and it's just as true today as it was in ancient Greece. In mythology, Mentor was a friend of the Greek king of Ithaca, Odysseus, who was known as Ulysses in Latin. When Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, needed to drop a hint to Odysseus, she would take the form of Mentor to do it.
Mentoring, as we know it, is hardly mythology. It is a time-honored tradition of helping the next generation of leaders reach their potential.
January is National Mentoring Month, the perfect time to show that we care with the knowledge that we share. Mentoring is a win-win situation. Just remember to be a mentor, not a tormentor.
To mentor effectively, we have to command more than just technical expertise. We also have to master the principles of human nature. We have to be able to detect what makes people tick and what unique capabilities they have.
When I enrolled at the University of Minnesota, professor Harold Deutsch was my academic adviser. He played a role in helping me mature. I took Prof. Deutsch's class on the history of World War II. He had been one of the interpreters at the Nuremberg trials. To say he made history come alive would be an understatement. He did not teach history; he was part of history. He was a wonderful mentor to me and made me realize how important it is for everyone to have a mentor in life.
Deutsch and my golf coach at the University of Minnesota, Les Bolstad, were both great mentors. They taught me how to stay focused and to set realistic goals. They also taught me the art of persuasion, leadership and visualization. A mentor will often help shape fine distinctions in the mind of the protégé or mentee. These are refinements that the mentee couldn't even imagine beforehand.
I've learned from multiple mentors throughout my career. Fortunately, I've been able to select mentors at various times as I have advanced. The following list of seven criteria has been useful in helping me do so:
