Almost everyone views mentoring as an exercise undertaken for career ad­vancement. Management gu­rus, practitioners, and sci­entists have collectively contributed to the de­velopment of this mis­leading tunnel view.

Mentoring is consid­ered by management practitioners as a collab­orative relationship between someone more experienced and a mentee who is in the process of learning the ropes of a profes­sion. Regrettably, that is how we have all agreed to restrict the con­cept and meaning of mentoring. To the contrary, it is not just about the sharing of knowledge or im­parting of skills; it is a wholesome concept inclusive of providing guidance that encompasses the various stages of one’s life.

Mentoring actually begins with “Divine Mentoring”. Mankind has been blessed with messengers and apostles of God, whose sin­gular task was to “mentor” both guided and misguided people. The holy books and scriptures re­vealed to prophets are and were meant to be the best “manuals on mentoring”. The holding of hands to guide us in bringing moral rec­titude, or otherwise, into our lives is a pristine and precise act of mentoring. If there were to be no ‘divine guidance’ (mentoring), mankind would be lost in the wil­derness of confusion and cob­webs of perplexity. All religions are instruments of mentoring hu­man behaviour and responses. Divine mentoring is from the cra­dle to the grave… for those who are blessed to seek it.

Close to the concept of mentor­ing by nature is parental mentor­ing. No offspring outgrows the need to be tended with direct mentoring by parents. All adult offspring remain little children to their parents; hence they do not shy away from remaining active­ly involved in mentoring them. In my view, the waywardness that we are witnessing in our youth is largely due to the abdication of responsibility to “mentor” by par­ents. The child is left rudderless and directionless due to parental neglect. It is widely known that the character of a child is built upon the quality of mentoring of­fered by parents and family. It is parents who, through the appli­cation of divine words and their own actions, impart in children the ability to discern between right and wrong. Social behaviour reflects the attention given to pa­rental training and mentoring.

Teachers and professors also have a significant role in men­toring their pupils. They sup­plement parental mentoring by focusing on developing a height­ened sense of morality, especial­ly where gaps exist in parental guidance. The reverend broth­ers, sisters, fathers, and moth­ers during my convent years had a major impact on me and my classmates. Through their subtle mentoring techniques, they in­stilled the desired moral quotient in our lives. Using anecdotes and parables, they trained our minds to think and act in accordance with the highest standards of hu­man nobility. The vast boundaries of mentoring align with the dy­namics of human behaviour and characteristics. There is no defin­ing limitation to the principles of mentoring; it has no delineation of time, either. Mentoring is a life­long experience and exercise. It has no finish line or expiry date. Regardless of age, each of us is al­ways in dire need of mentoring.

Once we enter professional lives, we have many supervisors, but not all have either the capabil­ity or the capacity to be mentors. Only a select few have it in them to fulfil this role. I have seen many capable colleagues who were un­willing to mentor others, either out of disinterest or fear that the mentee might outshine them. Pro­fessional mentoring is a whole­some aspect, encompassing no­ble behaviour and the attainment of technical proficiency in any giv­en field. We all face choices daily where uncertainty demands guid­ance from others. Seeking advice does not damage one’s ego. It is worth remembering that the stan­dards set by others are not inher­ently lower than those we would set for ourselves. History serves as the school of mankind, offering unparalleled mentoring through its anecdotes and lessons.

Mentors can serve as lifelong guides for their mentees. Their role is akin to that of a teacher, guide, and advisor. When com­bined, these facets create a sound mentor for life. I am fortunate, de­spite my age, to have had a mentor, Mr Saleem Akhtar, the CEO, who, upon deciding to retire, handed me the keys to the organisation. I was and am his mentee. Normally, friction arises between outgoing and incoming managers. Howev­er, my good fortune was the grace with which I was entrusted with this responsibility. It will remain a golden page in my career’s book. I believe he ardently subscribes to the idea that there is so much to be learned through mentoring.

A leader is one who knows when to be a mentor and when to become a mentee. Such liber­ated leaders willingly alternate between these roles, depending on the demands of the situation. A brilliant, highly accomplished, and internationally acclaimed leader like Z.A. Bhutto showed no disdain for the guidance pro­vided to him by the Foreign Of­fice before meetings with world leaders. Leaders are mentors and mentees without inhibitions.

Mentoring need not be a de­clared activity. It can be sub­tle and effective. “Men must be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown proposed as things forgot” (Alexander Pope). No individual ever outgrows the need for mentoring. Those who believe otherwise often find themselves walking a path that leads to a precipice, where their choices are either to retrace their steps in embarrassment or jump off the cliff into nowhere. None is ever too old to be mentored.

Sirajuddin Aziz
The writer is a Senior Banker & Freelance Columnist