The word mentor comes from Greek mythology. Mentor was Odysseus’ wise and trusted counselor. When Odysseus set off on his long journey, he entrusted Mentor with his son, not just as a teacher but as the guardian of his soul. Wow – heavy responsibility.
Can that story influence our approach to mentoring—
keeping it from becoming shallow or mechanical?
Does the Mentor Care?
Structured mentorship programs are common. Some are outstanding. Others? Little more than a thinly veiled marketing effort with a patina of “We care about you!” A mentee will recognize when a program is superficial and might conclude that this shallow approach reflects the company’s broader culture, even if they feel obligated to smile through it.
There are also well-matched mentors that operate on an entirely different level. They care. Father Richard Rohr—seemingly distant from the business world—captures the essence of mentoring. He explains that we long for believable mentors, but concludes that in our culture, we have few guides to lead us deeply into life’s full journey:
Of course, there are many bosses, ministers, coaches, and teachers who will happily tell younger people how to ‘fix’ their problems so they can be ‘normal’ again, but a true mentor guides people into their problems and through them. It feels a bit messy and wild, but also wonderful in some way.
Rohr notes key characteristics of mentors, but we ask: Are they suited for business? Check them out:
- Magnanimity of Soul – Mentors have a generous acceptance of variety, difference, and the secret, unique character of each person and where they are on their journey. Without that inner generosity, we invariably try to fit every person inside of our own box.
- A mentor must have a capacity for simple friendship. True mentors know that life is being transferred and shared.
- If a mentor is not free to talk about going down just as much as going up, they aren’t a mentor. C.S. Lewis once said, ‘Nothing was any good until it had been down in the cellar for a while.’ A true mentor has the patience, the authority, and the courage to share when and how they’ve been ‘down in the cellar for a while.’ It’s not all about climbing and achievement….
Rohr’s perspective on mentoring may not resonate with mentees eager to climb the corporate ladder, mentors looking to share shortcuts to success, or companies hoping to mold all employees in a particular way. So, let’s bring in a corporate expert. Adam Grant, Wharton professor, organizational psychologist, and bestselling author.
Grant believes the most effective mentors are hands-on coaches who don’t pontificate but guide mentees through the nitty-gritty. They are “champions of potential.”
The most important quality in a mentor, teacher, or coach is not how much they know. It’s how much they care. Caring is more than taking pride in your success. It’s feeling joy as you progress. The people you want in your corner are the ones who celebrate your growth.
Leadership’s Involvement
If leaders see mentorship as a crucial tool for employee development, they elevate its importance within the organization. The best leaders recognize that hiring the right people is just the beginning. Ensuring those hires receive inspired, effective mentoring protects the investment in their success.
Strong mentorship impacts not just the mentee’s ability to contribute but also enriches the mentor and strengthens the company. Top leaders may not directly manage mentorship programs, but do they signal that mentoring matters? Or, is mentoring just another HR function —formalized, but ultimately forgotten?
Under Their Wing
Even without a formal mentoring program, the most impactful teaching often happens when a senior person informally takes a junior colleague under their wing. The casual, everyday questions, spontaneous guidance, and informal chats between novice and master often create the strongest mentoring relationships. That was my experience. I
In The Pinball Theory of Business & Life, I recount a case I had as a fresh litigator. I won a significant jury verdict for a blind, obese woman who sustained a minor hand/wrist injury in a small auto collision—an injury that affected her ability to navigate the world. My inexperience showed when it was time to negotiate getting her money. I turned to one of my law firm mentors who provided the kind of mature guidance I lacked.
In daily interactions, my law mentors were invaluable. They were busy attorneys but never distant, arrogant, or unapproachable. There was no formal mentoring program at our firm—but we fledglings were under their wings.
The Future
Effective mentoring is the lifeblood of an organization’s future. A bad, cynical, or indifferent mentor can poison the well, derailing someone’s potential before they even begin. A great mentor doesn’t just shape a career—they help shape character. A company’s reputation often rests on how well the next generation upholds its values.
—————–
In any profession, seek or accept good mentors.
