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Mentorship

I was just curious. With all the knowledge and experience in these forums, and people striving for better ways of doing things, is anyone here part of a mentor/protege relationship? I'm not talking about answering questions on a forum, giving unsolicited advice at family gatherings or being the know-it-all at work. I'm talking about an official arrangement where a mentor advises a protege: regular meetings/check ups, goal setting, ceremonies/celebrations, etc. It can also span any and all facets of life: career, spirituality, family life, self-improvement, specific skills, etc. Let me know if you are a mentor or a protege and in what context! I've always been interested in being either a mentor or a protege, but have never really had the opportunity.
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
I was before my retirement.
We had regularly scheduled monthly meetings, discussed goals and methods of getting there.
There was a lot of side talk as well, with tips and tricks on navigating the company environment, unspoken attitudes about many subjects etc.
I'm honestly glad that is over now that I'm retired. It's a lot of work if you do right by your protege.
 
I'm a firm believer in this. I belong to a group that encourages have a mentor as well as mentoring others, both of which I do. My mentor is primarily a phone relationship as they live in another location. My mentee is someone I meet with in person. There is no off-limits conversation at all. There is no requirement that he do as I say nor that he believes as I believe. It's primarily of a spiritual nature, however we talk family, business, and anything else that comes up.
 
Mentorship is good idea deal with many seeking common goal like become FireFighter, or Police Officer, mentor help want to bet under stand the faces on goes through to be hired, help with practice tests, help with oral boards. Mentorshi program just make thing clear, and help people knowing what to expect. But in the end after all the mentoring few make the cut. Buddy applied for one of forty rookie firefight positions, the process started with 7,500 applicants. In the end selection commetteee had pool of candidate they deemed best. Buddy just retired with 39 years meting smoke and helping people.

Wet shaving is different, because all beards, skin is not the same. How can I tell what will works best for you? Have no magic 8 ball to ask.
 
I was before my retirement.
We had regularly scheduled monthly meetings, discussed goals and methods of getting there.
There was a lot of side talk as well, with tips and tricks on navigating the company environment, unspoken attitudes about many subjects etc.
I'm honestly glad that is over now that I'm retired. It's a lot of work if you do right by your protege.
Yep, I never want to be in charge of anyone but me at this point in my life. I never want to be a manager, supervisor or mentor again. Being in these positions and doing it well requires total commitment.
 

Space_Cadet

I don't have a funny description.
I live in Israel. There is a relatively new fashion that started in recent years of people offering mentor services. I think this thing is stupid, senseless and redundant. Basically they don't do anything and don't help at all. It is all a bluff. I have always felt no mentor can be better than myself in helping me understand how to lead my life. There is no one that knows me better than myself. Me being a philosopher is part of it. By the way, most of these "mentors" are self-proclaimed and have no relevant official education at all.
But, I have always provided serious, meaningful and useful advice to my closest friends. They have always appreciated and liked it, and came for more. But I am not a mentor nor do I want to be one.
 
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Mentoring is the standard procedure in my industry - usually with more than one mentor actually. It used to be more personal and nowadays it feels more transactional. I am also a trainer and I train other trainers too - in the form of mentorship as well.
 
One of my previous companies here had such a programme. I worked in the Asia Regional HO and had dealings with a lot of staff across the region. When the programme started I put myself forward as a mentor and was assigned two young ladies from the Hong Kong office. As I used to go there at least once a quarter I had ample opportunity to work with them. One left the company after a couple of years, I like to think it was unrelated(!) but the other is still there and deputy CFO. I think it is a great idea and I have suggested it at subsequent companies but HR back in London don't like things they did not think of, which is a bit sad.
 

WThomas0814

Ditto, ditto
Prior to retirement, a crucial part of my role was mentoring the operations leaders of the future… Engineers, quality professionals, manufacturing supervisors/managers. This was always the most enjoyable part of my job and I take immense pride in watching the many successes of my past protégés.
 

mcee_sharp

MCEAPWINMOLQOVTIAAWHAMARTHAEHOAIDIAMRHDAE
I could have used one at many points in my life. A lot to be said from learning from missteps, but not always efficient.
 

Tirvine

ancient grey sweatophile
Not the same as mentoring, but I really studied the ways people went about their work when I was working in a big bank. The CEO was my ideal role model, and decades later the things I had learned from him were serving me very well.
 
It seems that the generation who would benefit today from mentoring are the ones that are most apt to post everything on line. If I was HR I would have guidelines and non disclosure documents in place. It could be a career ender if something was misinterpreted.
 
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