“If you want to harvest, grow a crop.
If you want to harvest in ten years, grow a tree.
If you want a harvest that will last you a lifetime, grow people.” – Chinese Proverb
The mentor-protégé relationship is complicated. Many successful people have benefited from the healthy ones, while there are stories of people who have suffered from the not-so-healthy ones. The popular story of the Swiss botanist Carl Nageli and the father of genetics Gregor Mendel is an example. The story goes that Carl Negali, to whom Gregor Mendel constantly wrote letters asking for suggestions and affirmations on his pea plant hybridization experiment (which he later abandoned to villi, following Carl’s suggestion), was dismissive. His answers were always late, and when they did come, they were worthless to Gregor. When the vellum experiment failed, Gregor Mendel became disillusioned.
Apprentices are amateurs, anxious and vulnerable; therefore, your need for guidance should be viewed as both a responsibility and a privilege. Here are four tips on how to foster a healthy mentor-mentee relationship.
be willing
Tutoring requires a great sacrifice of time and resources. Therefore, it is advisable that the decision to train someone is entirely yours and that you have not been cajoled or coerced in any way into doing so. When you volunteer to mentor, you are actively involved in the process, paving the way for a rewarding experience for both you and your mentee.
Always exercise patience
There are times when the trainees would not accept your constructive criticism, comments or advice. They will also ask you questions that you may find very silly. You would have to be patient and persistent during events like that. Also, it is important that you allow them to develop at their own pace while constantly praising their efforts and progress, no matter how small.
Be a good role model
Because your protégés consider you a role model, there is a tendency for them to pay close attention to your actions. Make sure their attitudes are worth emulating. In the area of assignments, while it’s okay to let them do tasks on their own to help build skills, it’s guaranteed to be a great learning experience for both parties if you do tasks with them. From time to time, let them watch you do it instead of listening to you give instructions.
Show interest in her personal life.
Even though mentoring is considered a professional matter, showing that you are interested in his personal matters will further strengthen your relationship. Remember Theodore Roosevelt’s quote: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Like the Chinese proverb above, sharing your knowledge, skills, and experiences is a great opportunity for you to multiply yourself into people. Despite the tasks, the benefits are endless and also rewarding.