Definition Of Mentoring (Wikipedia) En

MENTOR/MENTORING

A few definitions

Definition of Mentoring (Wikipedia) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentoring

Mentorship refers to a developmental relationship in which a more experienced person helps a less experienced person, referred to as a protégé

Since the focus of mentoring is to develop the whole person, the techniques are broad and require wisdom in order to be used appropriately [1].

A study of mentoring techniques most commonly used in business was published in 1995 under the title Working Wisdom. [2] In the study, five major techniques or "wisdom tactics" were found to be used most commonly by mentors. These are:

1. Accompanying: This means making a commitment in a caring way. Accompanying involves taking part in the learning process by taking the path with the learner.

2. Sowing: Mentors are often confronted with the difficulty of preparing the learner before he or she is ready to change. Sowing is necessary when you know that what you say may not be understood or even acceptable to learners at first but will make sense and have value to the mentee when the situation requires it.

3. Catalyzing: When change reaches a critical level of pressure, learning can jump. Here the mentor chooses to plunge the learner right into change, provoking a different way of thinking, a change in identity or a re-ordering of values.

4. Showing: this is making something understandable, or using your own example to demonstrate a skill or activity. You show what you are talking about, you show by your own behavior.

5. Harvesting: Here the mentor focuses on “picking the ripe fruit”: it is usually learned to create awareness of what was learned by experience and to draw conclusions. The key questions here are: "What have you learned?" "How useful is it?"

Different techniques may be used by mentors according to the situation and the psychological mindset of the mentee. The authors underline that the techniques used in modern organizations can be found in ancient education systems, from the Socratic technique of harvesting to the accompaniment method of learning used in the apprenticeship of itinerant cathedral builders during the Middle Ages [3]. Leadership authors Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner [4] advise mentors to look for "teachable moments" in order to "expand or realize the potentialities of the people in the organizations they lead" and underline that personal credibility is as essential to quality mentoring as skill.

Typology

It is important to appreciate the differences between instructing, coaching and mentoring. Instructing deals largely with the dissemination of knowledge. Coaching deals primarily with skill building, whereas a mentor is one who helps shape the outlook or attitude of the individual. Alternately, an instructor would typically help out with the job at hand or the work. A coach would help out with work and career related issues. A mentor on the other hand would focus on issues pertaining to career and life. -- Ayan Banerji, Kolkata, India. Mentoring is an activity that can potentially promote spiritual development.

There are two types of mentoring relationships: formal and informal. Informal relationships develop on their own between partners. Formal mentoring, on the other hand, refers to a structured process supported by the organization and addressed to target populations. Youth mentoring programs assist at-risk children or youth who lack role models and sponsors. In business formal mentoring is part of talent management address to populations such as key employees, newly hired graduates, high potentials and future leaders. In formal mentoring, matching of mentor and mentee is done by each choosing the partner in order to avoid creating a forced and inauthentic relationship.

There are formal mentoring programs that are values-oriented, while social mentoring and other types focus specifically on career development. Some mentorship programs provide both social and vocational support. In well-designed formal mentoring programs, there are program goals, schedules, training (for both mentors and protégés), and evaluation. In 2004 Metizo created the first mentoring certification for companies and business schools in order to guarantee the integrity and effectiveness of formal mentoring.[5]

There are many kinds of mentoring relationships from school or community-based relationships to e-mentoring relationships. These mentoring relationships vary and can be influenced by the type of mentoring relationship that is in effect. That is whether it has come about as a formal or informal relationship. Also there are several models have been used to describe and examine the sub-relationships that can emerge. For example, Buell (2004) describes how mentoring relationships can develop under a cloning model, nurturing model, friendship model and apprenticeship model. The cloning model is about the mentor trying to "produce a duplicate copy of him or her self." The nurturing model takes more of a "parent figure, creating a safe, open environment in which mentee can both learn and try things for him-or herself." The friendship model are more peers "rather than being involved in a hierarchical relationship." Lastly, the apprenticeship is about less "personal or social aspects... and the professional relationship is the sole focus" (Buell, 2004). [6]

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· mentor (v) - serve as a teacher or trusted counselor

· mentor (n) - a wise and trusted guide and advisor
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

mentoring

men⋅tor–noun

1. / a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.
2. / an influential senior sponsor or supporter.

Origin:
1740–50; after Mentor (< Gk Méntōr)

Synonyms:
1. adviser, master, guide, preceptor.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
men·tor (měn'tôr', -tər)
n.
1. A wise and trusted counselor or teacher.
2. Mentor Greek Mythology Odysseus's trusted counselor, in whose guise Athena became the guardian and teacher of Telemachus.
men·tored, men·tor·ing, men·tors Informal
v.
To serve as a trusted counselor or teacher, especially in occupational settings.
To serve as a trusted counselor or teacher to (another person).
[French Mentor, Mentor, from Latin Mentōr, from Greek; see men-1 in Indo-European roots.]

Word Origin & History

mentor

"wise advisor," 1750, from Gk. Mentor, character in the "Odyssey," friend of Odysseus, adviser of Telemachus (often actually Athene in disguise), perhaps ult. meaning "adviser," since the name appears to be an agent noun of mentos "intent, purpose, spirit, passion" from PIE *mon-eyo- (cf. Skt. man-tar- "one who thinks," L. mon-i-tor "one who admonishes"), causative form of base *men- "to think".