A520.7.3.RB_DiazBrian

My classmate Mark Mackay wrote “I think the key differences between coaching and mentoring is mentoring is a trust-based relationship that is focused on the big picture process of how you are developing versus a specific knowledge task of what you need to learn.”

Another one of my classmates, Andrea Bonilla wrote “I personally think that both concepts, coaching and mentoring, are similar. However the biggest difference between these two concepts is the time they both require to be successful. Leadership Coaching refers to the idea of teaching any specific skill or task. This is why most people including myself visualize the concept as a short term one. On the other hand, Leadership Mentoring refers to the idea of keeping track of how people are implementing and developing those skills. This is why mentoring requires a long term in order to build relationships between the members of an organization.”

Both indicate that one of the common elements of mentoring is relationship based.  In order to effectively mentor others, long-term trusting relationships are encouraged.  I would agree that in order to be mentored, it is important to have a trusting relationship with the individual you are working with.  There should be a certain level of comfort in knowing the individual you are working with thinks enough of you to take under “their wing”.  In return, you can apply these lessons and ultimately pass them on yourself.  Much like a young child taking his first karate class.  Their teacher is mentoring them, developing them, and instilling in them lessons they can use throughout life.  Not just about fighting or defending themselves, but also about such things as discipline, honor, integrity, and respect.  I remember taking kickboxing classes at a gym about a year ago.  I would arrive about 15 minutes early to prepare for my class.  During that the time there was always a karate class finishing up.  The instructor always had an older student assisting with drills.  I found it amazing just how much these 14-16 year olds actually knew and how well they conveyed what they had learned to these younger students.  They were encouraging and supportive.  They were also an important part of the teaching process.  With over 20 kids in a class it is difficult for one instructor to keep an eye on every one of them.  But with two or three assistants, breaking these kids into smaller groups, the level of development was not neglected.  By mentoring other students the instructor was able to teach more kids instead of limiting her class to less than ten students.

I have the opportunity to be mentored in my current organization.  I want to be mentored for a few reasons.  Number one, I want to play a bigger role in my organization because I think I have the skills necessary to help our organization and our campus grow.  Number two, I would love the opportunity to take what I have learned, and pass that knowledge on to others.  I can’t think of a better way to repay my mentor than to take the lessons I learn and pass those on to others to learn from as well.  And reason number three, is because I want to be a positive role model for my son.  My hero growing up was my father.  It wasn’t Michael Jordon or Dan Marino.  I would be honored for my son to consider me his role model and there is nothing I will not do to make his life better and if anything easier than the path I chose.  I was a good kid who made a lot of mistakes.  Not because I didn’t know any better but because I always had to learn things the hard way. 

I think having a mentor will help me to focus on my long-term goals.  I want to learn as much as possible about different areas in my organization.  In my current role, I am so zoned into the one thing that I mainly do, that I would like to have a better understanding of policies, implementation of goals, and how to be a leader.  I look forward to the challenge and cannot wait for the opportunity.  One of my teammates is currently being mentored and she came to me recently to tell me about her experience.  I couldn’t help but notice how excited and grateful she is for this opportunity.  I can’t wait to have that same feeling myself.