Moving In

Welcome to the first installment in our series of eleven insightful articles designed to guide you on your transformative journey into wholistic, reciprocal mentoring starting in the second half of midlife and extending into your Next Fifty.

This inaugural piece lays a foundational understanding of mentorship, mentoring, and mentors while introducing you to the pivotal concepts of the Presence of Mentorship, Practices of Mentoring, and Competence of Mentor.

Also, it highlights the importance of self-assessment of a mentor profile. This task is the starting point to curate evidence of capabilities: your current knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Based on the self-assessment, you pursue the education required to complete the full profile for certification (and subsequent recertification) as the capstone of your journey.

The capstone of certification is optional. However, if one is new to mentoring, in the early stages of acquiring mentor practices while mentoring, and/or use certification as the momentum for learning and development, then the certification process (outlined below) will prove helpful and useful.

Understanding Mentorship, Mentoring, and Mentor

Before diving deeper, it's essential to distinguish between mentorship, mentoring, and a mentor. 

Mentorship encapsulates the overarching relationship and dynamic between a mentor and a mentee, representing a symbiotic bond aimed at mutual growth and development. 

Mentoring denotes the act, process, and practices involved in guiding, supporting, and nurturing the mentee. 

A mentor embodies the seasoned individual who brings wisdom, experience, and insights to guide and inspire the mentee throughout their journey.

Unveiling the Core Concepts

1. Presence of Mentorship:

The Presence of Mentorship underscores the essence and embodiment of mentorship in fostering a nurturing, supportive, and transformative environment. 

It emphasizes the mentor's active engagement, commitment, and genuine investment in the mentee's growth, development, and success. 

Cultivating a strong Presence of Mentorship shows authenticity, empathy, and a genuine desire to contribute to the mentee's journey, realizing there will be a mix of conversations. Those that leave you scratching your head. Other times, grinning from ear to ear because the mentee dropped the mic. 

2. Practices of Mentoring:

The Practices of Mentoring encompasses the tangible actions, behaviors, and strategies employed by mentors to guide, support, and nurture their mentees effectively. 

These practices encompass a range of activities, including conscious listening, providing constructive feed-forward, setting clear goals and outcomes, fostering open communication, and facilitating meaningful learning experiences. 

Embracing and implementing effective mentoring practices are crucial for cultivating a mentoring relationship that is psycho-social safe for all involved. 

3. Competence of Mentor:

The Competence of Mentor highlights the mentor's expertise, knowledge, skills, and capabilities in effectively guiding and supporting their mentees. 

It emphasizes continuous learning, development, and growth to enhance mentorship effectiveness and impact. 

A competent mentor possesses the expertise and qualities to inspire, empower, and guide their mentees towards achieving their goals and aspirations.

Embarking on the Mentorship Journey: The Mentor Profile

Central to your mentorship journey is the Mentor Profile, a foundational document crafted by the co-founders of the International Mentoring Community (IMC). 

This profile comprises action-outcome statements clarifying the inspired concepts and wise practices guiding mentor-mentee interactions. 

IMC offers certification based on the profile, ensuring mentors meet rigorous standards of excellence and effectiveness.

Navigating the Self-Assessment Process

As you embark on your mentorship journey, completing a comprehensive self-assessment of the Mentor Profile is crucial. This assessment enables you to determine your current capabilities, strengths, areas for growth, and development opportunities. 

The IMC Mentor profile includes action-outcome statements.
Upon encountering them, you ask:
Am I competent to _whatever the statement is... (example in yellow box below)
You would respond with a Yes or No:

• Yes, I have this capability:
  __That means you can document evidence confirming your proficiency, expertise, and alignment with the statement.
• No, I do not have this current capability:
  __That means you will attain the knowledge, skills, and practices to transform the "No" into a resounding "Yes." And thereafter, you curate the evidence. 
• Wavy Yes, it's a No:
  __It’s suggested you acknowledge areas requiring further education, training, and development to enhance your mentoring effectiveness and impact.

Moving Forward:

As you kick start, and embark on, your [extraordinary] wholistic, reciprocal mentoring journey, embrace the foundational principles of mentorship, mentoring practices, and mentor competence. 

As you walk forward with the Presence of Mentorship, Practices of Mentoring, and Competence of Mentor, and leverage the Mentor Profile as your guiding document, you can navigate your mentor journey with confidence, clarity, and commitment. 

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Stay tuned for our upcoming articles, where we delve deeper into essential concepts and practices, strategies and techniques to support your transformative journey. *Posting on Tuesday each week before 10 am MST.

More information about the International Mentoring Community: Profile and Certification - Click Here

If you want help with your mentoring and/or legacy journey, fill in the form below (especially the Comments section with your ask/comment) - press Submit. We'll get back to you via email as to the next step.