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