MONDAY MANNA
A service to the business community
July 17, 2006

MAKING THE MOST OUT OF MENTORING

By: Robert J. Tamasy

Mentoring is a popular buzzword in today’s business and professional world. Everyone seems to agree that mentoring younger, less experienced staff is beneficial, and many companies have attempted to institute mentoring programs with varying degrees of success. If you ask individuals who have been involved in such programs, however, assessments of their experiences range from “very good” to “a complete waste of time.”

My own experience has shown that this wide range of attitudes toward mentoring is largely influenced by expectations. Many people anticipate a genuine relationship with the person who is mentoring them, so if their mentors approach it as merely an assignment, or even an inconvenience imposed on them, it’s not likely that the mentoring experience will be a positive one for either of them.

The root problem is that we tend to regard mentoring as a “program” – just another item or task on the daily or weekly “to-do” list. However, as David A. Stoddard and I point out in our book, The Heart of Mentoring: 10 Proven Principles for Developing People to Their Fullest Potential, mentoring is best viewed as a process, or even a journey that two people undertake together.

We view mentoring as a “whole-person” endeavor, recognizing that people are complex and multi-faceted (intellectual, physical, spiritual and social), that their personal lives inevitably affect their professional lives – and their professional lives have impact on their personal lives. While a narrow-focused, one-dimensional approach to mentoring can certainly have some value, younger people seem most attracted to mentors willing to offer insights and wisdom they have accumulated related to all aspects of life, including family life and finances, as well as workplace issues. They desire to learn from someone who has been farther down the road of life’s experiences.

Although the Bible does not use the word “mentoring,” it does present some valuable truths that can enhance the mentoring process. Consider the following:

Mentoring is mutually beneficial. In mentoring relationships, we suggest using the terms “mentor” and “mentoring partner,” because both can – and usually do – learn and benefit from one another in the process. If nothing else, the mentor gains different perspectives on life and work from the younger ”partner.” Proverbs 27:17 says,“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

Mentoring ideally functions as a team effort. Often men I mentored have come to my aid just as I have assisted them, providing valuable counsel for situations I was facing, or giving support and encouragement in various ways. And we have been able to work to resolve problems together “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; if one falls down, his friend can help him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

Mentoring in an enjoyable undertaking. Mentoring is not having “all the answers.” Often it requires only a listening ear, a caring heart, or simply the willingness to offer sound words of counsel or encouragement as they are needed. “A man finds joy in giving an apt reply – and how good is a timely word!” (Proverbs 15:23).

Mentoring is a valuable investment. You may be wondering, “Why should I go to the trouble of mentoring someone?” The answer is simple: As you give of yourself – your time, energy, and wealth of knowledge and understanding, you receive the satisfaction of helping others. “Since you are precious in my sight, and because I (God) love you, I will give…people in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43:4).

Robert J. Tamasy is vice president of communications for Leaders Legacy, Inc., a non-profit corporation based in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. A veteran of more than 30 years in professional journalism, he is the author of Business At Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace, and has coauthored with David A. Stoddard, The Heart of Mentoring: 10 Proven Principles for Developing People to Their Fullest Potential (NavPress). For more information, see www.theheartofmentoring.com or www.rivercitypress.net.

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Reflection/Discussion Questions

1. Do you have a mentor? If so, describe what that mentor has meant to you. If not, would you like to have to a mentor – and how would you envision that person being of help to you?

2. Have you ever tried mentoring someone else? Describe what that was like. Has it proved to be a positive experience for you? Why or why not?

3. Has the discussion of mentoring in this week’s “Monday Manna” given you any new ideas or perspectives?

4. What is your reaction to the idea of mentoring the “whole person”? Does that make sense – or does it sound threatening, too demanding, or even too overwhelming? Explain your answer.


NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to review some other passages that relate to mentoring and investing in other people, consider the following verses:

Luke 5:1-11, 27-32; Deuteronomy 34:5-9; Joshua 1:1-9; 2 Timothy 2:2, 3 John 4


週一嗎哪
服事全球工商界
2006.07.17

竭力輔導 MAKING THE MOST OUT OF MENTORING

["Mentoring"相感或輔導 ] 在當今商業且專業的世界裡, 是一個流行的雜音,
每一個人似乎都同意教導年輕少經驗的幕僚是有益的, 而且很多公司都企圖
設立不同成功程度的輔導節目,如果你一一 個別訪問 : "誰曾參與如此課程?"
那麼他們經驗範圍的評估答案, 是從" 很好" 到所謂" 完全浪費".

我自己經驗, 曾顯示出這個態度取向輔導的廣大面是大受期望所影響. 許多人
期盼與輔導遊他們的人 ,能有自然關係, 所以如果他們的顧問們達到只像是
一個派任,甚或擺在他們身上是一種不方便, 其實輔導經驗也未必然對他們
其中的人都是絕對需要的 .

這個根本問題, 是我們會傾向看待輔導像是一個" 節目", 那只是另一個每天
或每週該做的項目或工作. 無論如何,像大衛史特達和我在我們合寫" 輔導
的心" 這本書中指出：為使人們發展其最大潛力的十個證實原則， "輔導"
最好是被視為二人同工的一個過程或旅程.

我們看輔導如同 " 全人投入", 認知人是很複雜且多面的( 智能 , 體能,精神
和社會面). 他們個人生命不可避免會影響職業生命; 並且他們職業生命也影響到他們的個人生命 . 當一個狹隘焦點, 單一面的接近觸及到輔導時,一定能有
某些價值. 年輕人似乎更被輔導員吸引, 願提供他們所收集有關生命內心世界
和智慧的面面觀 . 包括家庭生活, 財務以及工作場所一些問題. 他們希望能從某個人曾有人生體驗的先師先祖學到東西.

雖然聖經沒用Mentoring輔導這個字, 它卻表現某些有價值的真理, 那是能加強教導進程 , 請思考下述:

輔導是彼此互惠. 在輔導的關係裡 , 我們建議用輔導和輔導夥伴的詞語, 因為這兩個詞一般表示從在做事和學習過程中 , 教和被教者彼此激勵互惠. 若無
別的收穫, 至少這個指導人從這位年輕夥伴在生命和工作上也可得到不同的
透視. 如箴言 27:17說 : 「鐵磨鐵,磨出刃來; 朋友相感也是如此」.

輔導的實際功能就像一個團隊力量. 我所教過的人,常常來到我面前成為我的
幫助. 就如同我曾幫助他們一樣, 他們為我所面臨的困境提供有價值的建議 , 在各種不同的路上給我支持和鼓勵, 那麼我們就能夠一起解決問題.「兩個人
總比一個人好，因為二人勞碌同得美好的果效。若是跌倒，這人可以扶起他的
同伴；若是孤身跌倒，沒有別人扶起他來，這人就有禍了。」 ( 傳道書 4: 9-10).


輔導是在一種可愉悅的情況下進行的. 輔導是沒有 [全部答案] . 常常需要聆聽的耳朵;一顆關懷的心, 或只是願意當他們在需要時,願給予建議或鼓勵的良策
美語."口善應對 ,自覺喜樂; 話合其時, 何等美好." ( 箴言 15 : 23).

輔導是一件有價值的投資, 也許你懷疑 為什麼我要自找麻煩去輔導別人 ?
答案很簡單. 當你給出你自己時間精力和知識了解度的資產時. 你得到助人之樂的滿足.「因我看你為寶為尊；又因我愛你，所以我使人代替你，使列邦人替換你的生命。」. (以賽亞書 43 : 4).

回應 / 討論題目

1. 你有一位顧問良師嗎 ? 如果這樣 , 請敘述那位輔導對你有何意義?如果沒有, 你想要有一位輔導員嗎? 你如何預見那個人會對你有所幫助?
2. 你曾否嘗試輔導某個人 ? 敘述那是像什麼樣子 ? 能證明對你必是絕對正確經驗嗎? 為什麼? 或為什麼不是?
3. 在本週一嗎哪裡曾討論相關輔導問題嗎 ?曾給你任何新想法或透視到什麼 ?
4. 對輔導全人的想法你持的是什麼反應 ? 你了解嗎 ? 或聽起來像威嚇又過於要求,甚或過度困窘不安嗎? 請說明你的答案.

附註 如果你有一本聖經 妳要查看其他敘述到輔佐和調查其他人的一些經節
請考慮省思以下章節 :
路加 5 : 1-11, 27-32; 申命記 34: 5-9; 約書亞 1: 1-9; 提摩太後書 : 2: 2,
約翰三書 : 4 節

註 : 若你有聖經並且想要察看與此主題相關的其他章節, 請參考以下經節 :
箴言 11章 17節, 22章 4節, 29章23 節; 路加福音 9章 23節; 彼得前書 5章 5~6節


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