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mentorship
Mentors have wisdom and share experiences. To me, that's what mentorship is: drawing from that wisdom and potentially learning from their successes.
People who leverage mentors are more successful than those who don't.
Troubled teens seem willing to self-sabotage every aspect of their potential future: not participating in class, staying up late, sleeping most of the day away and then missing school. The most frustrating part of this is that these same people are often very gifted in some ways and yet here they are... stuck.
These employees might have keenly accepted their job offer and tackled their assignments with gusto when they walked through the door on their first day. But after some time, experience and training, they might appear to be more confident than usual. You might notice signs of disengagement. What's an employer to do?
The youth of any society constitute the promise of the future -- and many of our youth are in trouble. They are growing up in a divided society with ethnic, gender and political tensions at seemingly combustible proportions -- not just south of the border, but in Canada too.
International Women's Day provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the achievements and contributions of women and how they continue to shape the future of women in leadership. There are two key areas that stand out in my mind that are crucial to moving the needle for women in leadership in the future.
For women in particular, we know we have a different challenge than men when it comes to getting to that often desired executive position in the workplace. If we're going to reach that summit, we may need to look for a boost, or be the ones doing the elevating.
In today's connected world, the Internet and social media can provide millions of more appropriate and qualified mentors. Indeed, the web has democratized mentorship and made it easier than ever to solicit guidance and advice from people all over the world who have previously beaten down a path much like the one you're trying to follow.
While many of us are fortunate enough to take education for granted, not everyone can get the education they need. I believe that technological and pedagogical innovation can help break down barriers and make learning more accessible, engaging and inspiring.
So what does a mentor do? Mentors are those generous people who are open to sharing their knowledge, wisdom, experience, insight and offering their counsel. The best mentors are great listeners who understand your challenges and offer different strategies and ideas to not only help you overcome obstacles but excel at them. Mentors will often see something in you that you may not see yourself.
