The gift of mentorship.

• Author: Ghaffari, Elizabeth
• Position: THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Amentee is a protege--someone with talent worthy of future development. Not everyone can be guided by a mentor--only individuals with some inherent initiative or willingness to take on challenges will be worthy of mentoring. Real proteges are those who possess special talent--unique and valued skills that if honed properly might actually improve the quality of the profession or the art. Proteges respect and admire the mentor as someone who is wiser and more knowledgeable--someone whom they would like to emulate.

The goal of a mentor-protege relationship is that each party be prepared to perform her appropriate role in the face of shared challenges. The mentor does not teach the protege directly but, rather, pushes the protege out into a sea of learning experiences in order to grow. If the protege matures in the process, she returns from that experience possessing even greater judgment and value.

The reality of modern life is that the one who seeks to grow is also the one who must do the search and the learning. The wisdom...