People view mentoring as a significant factor that human beings need in their personal and professional lives. It is believed that mentoring should be accessible to all, regardless of someone’s disability, race, age, gender, or beliefs. Mentoring benefits not only the mentees but as well as the mentors and the organization.
According to UC Davis, aside from mentors benefiting from mentoring– mentors receive benefits from it too, such as the satisfaction of helping others, building community, encouraging the use and development of critical capabilities, examining the status quo, and renewing ideas and perspectives on one’s leadership skills. As usual, mentees’ benefits include: receiving guidance and support, increased confidence, building a network, and professional development opportunities. Furthermore, the organization’s benefits in mentoring are encouraging high-potential leaders to grow and develop, promoting cooperation, diversity, and inclusivity in the organization, and showing a clear commitment to development.
Despite these benefits that are available to everyone who has a mentor, 76% of people think mentors are important, however, only 37% of people currently have one (Forbes). People believe that finding a mentor is hard as they have these specific attributes of what a mentor should be.
WHY IS IT HARD TO FIND A MENTOR?
There are several reasons why seeking a mentor is not an easy journey. Potential mentors think that they have to be more knowledgeable and be further than others in everything and that they should look like the kind of mentor shown in movies. Lastly, they think that mentoring should be a long-term relationship that will require most of the time in their lives.
On the other hand, it’s not just mentors who have a deficit measure, but also the mentees who are having a hard time finding a mentor. According to Kerry Ann from NCFDD, mentees seeking a mentor are having trouble due to the wrong questions being asked. Instead of asking “Will you be my mentor?” or “Can we have a mentoring conversation?” they should ask questions related to their targeted conversation which will satisfy their needs.
As a result, 14% of mentor relationships started by asking someone to be their mentor, and 61% of those relationships developed naturally (Forbes). Therefore, various forms of mentoring are formed to fill the gaps in accessing formal mentoring programs. Aside from traditional one-on-one mentoring, various forms of mentoring take place, such as small groups who share similar interests and career paths with the same mentor, and other types of mentoring that have 1 mentor who supports people in their career or personal growth. Subsequently, most of these mentoring relationships developed naturally or what they call informal mentoring, where there are no formal agreements or formal programs that were organized, rather colleagues or acquaintances whose relationship developed into mentoring.
While these forms of mentoring provide structured guidance, for those who may not have access to mentors, they consider books as a powerful alternative. Just like informal mentorship that grows organically, reading allows individuals to tap into the minds of great thinkers, gaining insights, wisdom, and strategies from the experiences of authors.
HOW DOES THE BOOK SERVE AS AN ALTTERNATIVE FOR MENTORING?
It is widely known that books can never replace mentorship, however, books can provide valuable knowledge, insights, and frameworks that can be learned in mentorship. Books are a one-way conversation where you can go back anytime you’d want– where you can read the pearls of wisdom that authors wrote thoroughly. It is the most accessible mechanism for sharing knowledge that will help people to better themselves both personally and professionally. It may not provide personalized feedback and guidance, but it can bridge the gap– offering valuable mentorship in a way that is both accessible and self-driven.
WHAT DOES MENTORING BEYOND AI OFFER IN MENTORSHIP?
The book “Mentoring Beyond AI” serves as a comprehensive guide for both aspiring and current mentors and mentees, offering a deep dive into the evolution of mentorship from its historical roots to its future age of technology. Through insightful anecdotes and case studies, the book explores how humans have learned and shared wisdom over time, emphasizing the development of a “mentoring mindset.” Furthermore, it provides practical strategies for strengthening mentor-mentee relationships by leveraging the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
In conclusion, mentorship plays a vital role in personal and professional development, benefiting both individuals and organizations. While finding a mentor can be challenging, books like Mentoring Beyond AI offer valuable insights, combining traditional mentorship with the potential of AI. Whether through personal connections or self-driven learning, mentorship remains essential for growth and shared wisdom.
References:
https://hr.ucdavis.edu/departments/learning/toolkits/mentoring/benefits
https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinecomaford/2019/07/03/new-study-76-of-people-think-mentors-are-important-but-only-37-have-one/
https://www.ncfdd.org/findingmentors#:~:text=It’s%20because%20we%20don’t,asking%20for%20a%20targeted%20conversation.
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