Posted on Oct 30, 2013
1SG DeyShuan Shepherd
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Is there a point where leaders no longer need mentorship? Should mentorship be mandatory?
Posted in these groups: Getakwwcoach Mentorship
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CW3(P) Network Defense Tech
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Isn’t mentorship about taking care of your own? Whether it’s a fellow junior enlisted, NCO, Officer or Warrant. If you feel that you are not being mentored, then you should strive to find that one individual that will mentor you. In the case of a CSM refusing to mentor a 1SG in my opinion would be wrong by all sorts. I will never know everything not do i claim tp. There have been some good points made in this forum. Mentorship is never ending and can be used to everyone’s advantage.
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CW2 Squadron Maintenance Technician
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I believe mentoring is a necessity in any branch of service. How would that E-1 grow as a member of the armed forces without their direct supervisors. I know I've needed my fair share of mentoring, from junior and senior NCO's, Warrant Officers, and O-3 and higher Officers. The 0-1 and 0-2's need their mentoring from the senior NCO's and the officers over them (unless the case is they went OCS, then I'd say just the officers over them for the most part). In all without the mentors all of us have today and in the past, could anyone of us here say we would be where we are now?
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CPT Aaron Kletzing
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MSG S, interesting question. I would hope that the best leaders among us would not need their own self-improvement through mentorship to be mandated, and that they would have risen in the ranks by doing this on their own anyway. If someone says that mentorship is no longer needed at a certain pay grade, they're essentially saying that the individual has learned everything he/she needs to know as a professional -- and we both know that's both unlikely and dangerous for subordinates. I also want to thank you personally for your service, and seeing as you are a MSG, I suspect you have mentored many Soldiers, NCOs, and Officers along the way -- so thank you for helping keep the force strong. Best wishes and thanks again for the great question.
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CMC Robert Young
CMC Robert Young
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Sir, I concur. I was told early in my career that at the point I had it all figured out and knew all I could know, that it was time to go home because I was dangerous to myself and everybody in my proximity.

 

As professional leaders we should realize that personal growth is a requirement to remain a vital part of the organization, and we should participate voluntarily as students and mentors.

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Lt Col Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Program Manager
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I believe mentorship is critical at all levels, so you can never be in a place where it's not needed. It's important to realize mentorship can come from a variety of sources, not just one individual. You can receive mentorship from one person on education, another on career path, and so on.

The issue with making mentorship mandatory, is that many of the benefits would be lost in a formal "forced" process. The best and most effective mentorship relationships are organic, and include mutual growth.
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Lt Col Small Business Liaison/Procurement Analyst
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I believe mentorship is also personality-dependent & must be sought out. 
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