Posted on Jan 31, 2014
Have you seen mentorship successful for junior officers? If so, what was your experience?
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For years, I have been quite skeptical on the issue of mentoring. I would like to know if it's just me, or if others have the same impression, or if not, please provide some candid suggestions on how mentoring would best work for me.
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Mentorship
Mentorship
Posted 12 y ago
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Sir,
Mentorship is provided to you and from you to your subordinates in many different forms. Basically it can be broken into Formal and Informal. Formal mentorship comes in the way of your OER support form as an officer and the NCOER as an NCO. While these are the most common there are also other forms of written mentorship. I think the most important mentorship comes from the informal side of the house. You as a leader provide mentorship everyday to your suborinates by the way you conduct yourself, by the way you accomplish your tasks from higher or even by the way you interact with your subordinates and peers. This method goes from you to your subordinates as well as you to your superiors. Skepticism should have no real bearing on the actual mentorship provided because most of the time it is going to be transparent and more of a lessons learned type of thing. This development not only occurs from senior to subordinate but among peers as well. All I would say is that it is our obligation by regulation to provide formal mentorship and assessment it is our duty as Soldiers to lead by example. This is the best form of mentorship in my opinion.
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Depends on whether you want to be mentored or be the one mentoring. I have several mentors (or at least I consider them mentors) - that I've been in regular contact with for at least 12 years. They were either my PL, CO CDR or BN CDR when I was coming up. They have given me great career advice through-out the years. Mentoring does not have to be a formal process, in my opinion. Although - I have seen some who have straight out asked someone to be their mentor…that works as well.
If you want to a the mentor to someone - just do what you know is right and your subordinates will take notice. They will either continue to ask you for advice as time goes on - and even shoot you e-mails years later asking for your opinion. I have a few Soldiers that I give regular advice to when they ask. And they always keep coming back.
I'm not one for all of the formalities of the mentor/mentee relationship that you can read in some written articles.
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Mentoring is incredibly important but can succeed only when done correctly. The mentor must take it seriously but the mentee must also take deliberate steps to maintain the relationship. There are numerous writings and presentations on creating a great mentorship relationship. Select your potential mentors carefully and do not shy away from mentors of the same rank (with different experiences). Good luck.
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