| Progressive Insurance produces some of my favorite commercials in which Dr. Rick coaches adults who are at risk of becoming their parents.In one episode, Dr. Rick offers lessons to a group of adults while shopping at a hardware store. In the tools aisle, he finds one of his folks saying to a stranger, “If you’re looking for a grout brush…” Dr. Rick quickly intervenes, “Did he ask for your help? No,” as he redirects his group member away from the stranger.
In a more recent episode, Dr. Rick takes a group of adults to the movies, and as they walk toward the theater, one woman points out the restrooms and says, “Bathrooms! Even if you don’t have to go, you should try.” Dr. Rick scolds, “We all know where the bathroom is and how to use it, okay?” I need to channel Dr. Rick when my mentoring program leaders attempt to manage and protect their mentors. One program team I worked with was so afraid of burdening their program’s mentors that they refused to send any emails to the mentors. As a result, the mentors were confused and frustrated – predictably, they complained about the utter lack of communication from the program. Other program leaders insist that mentees be responsible for creating and driving the relationship. But it’s a relationship. And relationships take two to develop and grow. So why absolve the mentors of responsibility? And then my personal favorite… the fear that mentees will reach out to mentors too much or too often. I wish programs had this problem! Instead, most suffer from over-intimidated or overwhelmed mentees. Mentors don’t need safeguards!
I’ve never had a mentor complain about an over-eager mentee or over-communication from the program! Mentors don’t need protection. Instead, they need to discover and grow their mentoring skills! Program leaders just need to get out of the way… © 2022. Ann Tardy and MentorLead. www.mentorlead.com. All Rights Reserved. |