Debunking Myths About mentoring

When you think about the term "mentoring" there can be some confusion as to how it all actually works. Recently Forbes Magazine published an article titled “Debunking Common Mentoring Myths” with the purpose of clarifying some of the myths about mentoring. One myth they talked about was that mentors choose their mentees. This can be true for some programs, but it is not true of The CareerPassport Mentoring Program (CPM). CPM is a student-driven program where mentees search the database for a mentor, not the other way around.

 

A second myth described was that you only need one career mentor. The truth is that we all go through many stages, and while some mentors may be excellent in one area, they may not be in another. UVU students participating in the CPM Program have the opportunity to have a different mentor every six months.

                Another myth mentioned was that you are either a
                mentee or a mentor. The truth is that mentors learn a lot from their mentees.
                A truly successful mentoring relationship is one in which both parties learn from one   
                another.

The last corresponding myth is that mentoring is a formal relationship with the mentor driving the relationship. Although the CPM Program has a formal structure, the mentee drives the relationship, and many mentoring relationships can turn in to lifelong friendships.

 

Mentoring Success Stories

 

There are many success stories taking place because of great mentoring relationships; each story is inspiring and unique. Recently Denzel Washington wrote an article entitled “The Mentors He’ll Never Forget” about those individuals that inspired him that appeared in Guideposts Magazine. Denzel talked about Billy Thomas, a leader at the Boys Club Denzel attended as a youth. He said he would try to emulate Billy in every way he could because he admired him so much. He then goes on to talk about Jack Coleman, the owner of a barbershop where Denzel grew up. Coleman gave him a job sweeping floors and he taught him the value of hard work. 

The next Mentor Denzel talks about is Mr. Underwood, his high school English teacher. He would have his class read the New York Times every morning, and it really taught Denzel about the world around him. One of the most influential mentors Denzel talks about is his public speaking professor at Fordham University. He had Denzel do a scene from Hamlet, and even though it scared him, he soon really loved being on stage.

Spread The Word

If you have any mentoring success stories from the CPM Program we’d love to hear from  you. Send your experiences to cpmentoring@uvu.edu.  We also encourage you to pass along  your mentor referral card to your colleagues, family and freinds who you think would be a great mentor for our program. Share with them your experiences and the benefits you gain from being a part of the CPM Program.

References
 Quast, Lisa (Jan 14, 2013). Debunking Common Mentoring Myths, Forbes Magazine.
Washington, Denzel (Apr 21, 2011). The Mentors He’ll Never Forget Guidepost Magazine.

WELCOME

Welcome to the CareerPassport Mentoring Blog. At the first of each month we will be posting helpful mentoring ideas, upcoming events, and more to help guide you through the mentoring program. We encourage you to follow this blog by email for easier convenience. You can do this by entering your email in the text box under “follow by email” on the right side of this page.

Suggested Mentoring Topics and Activities

Hopefully you’ve had your first meeting with your mentee, and have begun your regular monthly mentoring sessions. Summer can get busy with everyone’s vacation plans and the great holidays so we encourage you to make your mentoring sessions a priority throughout the summer. We’d like to remind you that on the website we have a list of ideas for topics and activities that you could do for each track. Here is a list of topics and activities for the Self-Discovery Track:

·        Help your mentee identify passions in life and in potential work areas

·        Discuss how your work environment affects your personal life

·        Find possible career options within your mentee’s areas of leisure interests

·        Encourage your mentee to identify his/her personality, interests and character strengths

·        Help your mentee identify entrepreneurial skills he/she possesses or may want to develop

·        Ask your mentee about his/her leadership abilities and experiences

·        Have your mentee describe their strongest skills and abilities

Click here to see the suggested ideas and topics for other tracks

Location/Location/Location

We emphasized earlier that where you meet can be very important. When you have the opportunity and availability, please meet at your place of work or another work environment at least a couple of times so that your mentee can have the opportunity to get acquainted with your job setting. Learning about the balance between career and other interests and responsibilities is also an important way you can inspire your mentee. We also encourage you to join us here at UVU for an activity or an event. It doesn’t always have to be a professional setting. Here are some activities going on at UVU in May that you might enjoy together: For more events click here

May 9                   Baseball vs. NYIT

May 10                MMA Showdown

May 11                “Trouble with Tricks”

May 14                Art of our century: opening reception

May 16                Woodturning Symposium

May 21                Business and Economics Forum

Building the Relationship

As you continue working together, remember that you are building a relationship, and relationships are built on stories. Corporate Alliance has the model, learn, serve, and grow which Jared Stewart, CEO of Corporate Alliance demonstrated with his sister in a lecture he gave at UVU in March. Try the following activity they demonstrated to help build your relationship.

Share with each other information from the three following areas:

·         Share a train, plane, or automobile story. Starting with a personal story helps plant the seed to growing your relationship.

·         Share what you are doing for a living or in your college major now, and what your future career goals are. This helps you understand where each other is coming from.

·         Share three current needs you have. In order to serve each other effectively, it’s important to know what each other really needs. As you each share your needs, try to listen carefully and decide how you can serve each other.    

Sincerely,

The CPM Team

*Corporate Alliance networking model presented by Sarah Stewart at UVU Executive Lecture Series March 21, 2013