The Mentor

M - Manages the relationship
E - Encourages
N - Nurtures
T - Teaches
O - Offers Mutual Respect
R - Responds to the Mentee's needs

Introduction
If you have knowledge or experience or are simply a good listener you have probably already been a mentor - helping someone to learn, sort out a problem or devise a plan. It may have happened spontaneously and the word 'mentor' may never have been used. The term 'mentoring' is being used more widely now in our society and people are often encouraged to seek out a mentor. So, what is mentoring and how does one become a mentor?

So, what is mentoring?
Mentoring is often seen as a relationship between a senior and a more junior person like a master and an apprentice. This can be a useful approach to mentoring but canalso pose some problems for adult learners. Mentors can get just as much out of the relationship as a mentee and being seen as a teacher, coach etc can be unhelpful and limiting. Mentors may also be asked, often inappropriately, to lobby on behalf of their mentee. Viewing mentoring as a learning partnership can be more helpful. Status and power can be ignored, mentors do more listening and questioning and advice is only offered once the mentee has had the opportunity to explore the options for themselves. This approach has a lot to recommend it.

"A teacher affects eternity: he can never tell where his (her) influence stops." - Henry Adams."