Mentoring Establishing a Legacy, Shaping the Future
2002; The MIT Press; Volume: 82; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0026-4148
Autores Tópico(s)Mentoring and Academic Development
ResumoDURING A TIME when I felt convicted to learn and grow through my elders' exreriences, I wrote the following poem: I'm looking for man with sweat on his brow and callused areas on his palms; I'm looking for man who cares to say you messed up, now get up, look up, and continue pressing forward,' I'm looking for man to say son you're at fork in the road, recognize it, respect it, but make decision and move left or right; I'm looking for man who'll stand at the door of relationship and say come to school son, I've got wealth of knowledge to share; I'm looking for man who simply wants to give little of himself to make world of difference in me: I'm looking for man who has seen what I now see.1 Discussions with and stories told by older soldiers and heroes-teachers wanting to pass on life lessons-inculcate in young warriors an indelible link between the past and future. Studying history allows us to learn from others' practices, but mentoring takes that study step farther by bringing about learning through others' experiences and by allowing the learner to share the sights, tastes, sounds, anguish, joy, or dread the mentor experienced. preeminence of the Army, the profession of arms, and the Nation rests on transferring knowledge, skills, and expertise from generation to the next. Mentors pass on enduring facets of the military profession such as its history, traditions, and values as well as the will to fight and win. During professional soldier's career, these facets become the foundation for journey of decision and change. This article challenges veterans and neophytes to seek out of the most important aspects of the military profession-a mentoring relationship. U.S. Army needs greater introspection and professional discourse among its future leaders. Most literature addressing the origin of mentoring recognizes the original Mentor as the character in Homer's classic poem, The Odyssey. However, scholars who are familiar with the original work believe the mentoring model Homer portrayed would make most relationships fizzle rather than sizzle. In fact, the modern use of the term more likely comes from the work of 18th-century French writer and educator, Francois de Salignac de La Mothe-- Fenelon.2 Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary describes mentor as a trusted counselor or guide; tutor, coach and protege as one who is protected or trained or whose career is furthered by person of experience, prominence, or influence.3 These definitions describe the roles of those in mentoring relationship, but what defines the process of mentoring? Army's leadership doctrine, as outlined in U.S. Army Field Manual 22-100, Army Leadership, defines mentoring as follows: is the proactive development of each subordinate through observing, assessing, coaching, teaching, developmental counsel, and evaluating that results in people being treated with fairness and equal opportunity. Mentoring is an inclusive process (not an exclusive one) for everyone under leader's charge.4 Mentoring is living, breathing process that focuses on people and changes lives. Mentoring is cultivating endeavor that helps individuals mature and encourages action. When contemplating mentoring, the images of plowing, turning over, or tilling the soil come to mind, all of which imply cultivation. Mentoring is leadership at its best. Mentoring outside the military differs from the Army's doctrinal definition in two ways. First, mentoring is exclusive and personal. Second, leaders must coach, not mentor, everyone under their charge. Central to this idea, asserting the exclusivity of mentoring, is understanding that mentoring is, at best, exercised on one. Just as people choose their circle of close friends, the mentoring relationship arises through an informal, mutual selection, regardless of who initiated the association. …
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