How often do you seek mentorship from your subordinates?

SPC Bernardy,

BLUF: Never

I think there are some conflicting terms in your question. However, I do believe there is a lesson to be learned here. I think that when we look at mentorship, guidance/advice there is a big difference. One of your jobs as a leader is to mentor your subordinates. That being said, I have a hard time believing that a Leader is seeking mentorship form a subordinate, to me that indicates a problem with the chain of command OR the soldier seeking mentorship. I firmly believe that you can learn from your soldiers and that they can be the source of great ideas. However, this should not be confused with mentorship in my opinion. At best, I would call it collaboration in order to complete the mission. I think that we start to lose where the lines are drawn into the sand when the subordinate becomes the mentor. If this is the case than we have completely failed in our respective responsibilities as leaders and as peers.

Mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person.
There is a difference between mentorship and advice. As a company commander, I would often seek the advice of my 1SG, although I wouldn't exactly consider him a subordinate, and my platoon sergeants. When you are talking about an PL and a PSG, you might be able to use the term mentorship but it's more of a symbiotic relationship.
As far as seeking mentorship from a subordinate, never. If you, as a leader, are seeking mentorship from a subordinate, you probably shouldn't be in that position.

Frequently.
Leaders that think they have a monopoly on good ideas fail miserably.
Often, the user-end guys have had time to think of ways to do something better, and you are a damned fool if you don't listen.