Mentor ship: The missing piece in the corporate training model.

Since joining the civilian sector I’ve witnessed firsthand the money companies spend on their training programs. If you’re unfamiliar let me tell you, it’s a lot. From outsourcing “experts” to write the curriculum, contracting a team of PowerPoint wizards to piece it all together, and finally training and certifying their own instructors to disseminate the information. The monetary investment is definitely there.

So clearly companies realize the importance of training. Obviously, they know it’s a crucial aspect of their business that directly correlates to their overall success. That being said, the number of disenfranchised employees in companies begs the question, why is it failing?

One of the biggest reasons is the lack of REAL mentor ship.

What is mentor ship, really? Well in short, it’s the third and never-ending step in the training process. That’s right. NEVER ENDING! Moreover, it requires a leader to be selfless and exercise a little thing called empathy.

The act of actually “training” someone to complete a task is relatively easy. It requires only a few key things. 1. You understand the task yourself. 2. You have some (possibly very limited) experience doing it yourself. 3. You can communicate how to complete the task to an audience or individual. Not too complicated.

Mentor ship on the other hand is a whole different animal. This is the piece that has the potential to not only improve someone’s understanding and productivity, but make them a better more resilient human being, if done correctly.

Mentor ship requires you to utilize a whole arsenal of interpersonal skills in order to truly maximize another person’s productivity and potential. Key among those skills is empathy. This is, in my experience one of the most powerful interpersonal skills at any leader’s disposal.

I was very fortunate during my career in the military to have leaders who took on the role of a mentor for me in exemplary fashion. These individuals showed genuine care and concern for their people, not just their ability to complete tasks. These mentors realized that in order to lead, you must first serve those you hope to lead. They were sounding boards not just for the functionality of our chosen profession, but for LIFE! All the while they remained humble and selfless. Any credit for their success would be given away, to those who had mentored them in the past and those they lead. The result was always a more ready, proficient, resilient, and capable force. This was because we trusted them without question or hesitation.

I would go on to inculcate this key component of leadership throughout the rest of my career in the military with amazing results. As a leader who serves their people as a mentor you create a bond of trust that will outweigh most any trepidation or fear, to include but not limited to being shot at! I utilize those same principals every opportunity I get too this day because, it just works!

So, I challenge you, wherever you find yourself in a position to better those around you, step up into that mentor role. The impact you could have may be incalculable!