Mentor-ship Vs. 'Mentorsheep'

Come to think of it, I’m a mentor and I do have some quite a number of mentees on my side. I have always allowed myself to learn in all possibilities of life and this is without the exclusion of my mentees and mentors who bring new perspective into either old thoughts or new ones.

We live in a world of many possibilities and equal share of confusion, what I came to realize the world of mentor-ship isn’t known to many as much as it might sound to be something that has always been there with us. I believe many people practice the “mentor-sheep” at the expense of mentorship. So what do I mean with with the two terms;

Mentor-ship is about something mutual between the mentor and the mentee organized through a system or plan connected to a common goal and interest. Everyone learns from each other while listening, questioning and testing are key part of the growth of the relationship.

Mentor-sheep is full of imitation, following for the sake to belong, obey and maintain the status quo. The 'sheep effect', plans might change randomly whilst there might be less listening and there might be no or less questioning especially from the mentee.

#MyDiary2017 Below are 10 points a great mentor and mentee should practice; 

Mentor

1. They should have wide knowledge and skills in the area of interest. 
2. They should be willing to show the way and sometime through the mentee in the deep end of things, the good thing is that they will follow through so that the mentee doesn’t get drowned.
3. They should have dedicated time and they are passionate in mentorship. 
4. They should be well organized and work on schedules than randomness. 
5. They should share part of the journey (success, failure and future) not to be imitated by the mentee but for them to pick the best practices of pivoting. 
6. They should be good listeners and good at asking great questions. 
7. They should allow failures only that everyone should account for the gaps for future lessons. 
8.  They should always be eager to learn from the mentee. 
9. They should have great values system especially empathy and patience. 
10. They should be willing to make random check on how the mentee is doing. Everything need not to be structured. 

 Mentee

1. They should be well organized especially on time management. 
2. They should be good listeners and good at asking questions. 
3. They should show tangible result within the journey of the relationship. 
4. They should be accountable for the failure or missed targets. 
5. They should have a clear big picture in mind and willing to start with the baby steps. 
6. They appreciate their mentors as partners in exploring the new world of possibilities. 
7. They should have great values system especially professionalism. 
8. They shouldn’t imitate for the sake, they should have analytical, creative and critical mind buffers before taking the jump. 
9. They should always be open to new learning experiences, especially triggered by themselves.
10. They should always engage while it happens than report later in the organized sessions.

If I missed something you would love to share as a mentor or mentee, please feel free to do so under the comment section. For more insights visit www.wilsenx.blogspot.com get in touch with me for a session with your group on issues around personal branding, personal plan, creative entrepreneurship session, inspirational session, creative boot-camps, photography session etc. wilson.masaka[at]gmail.com