Having a mentor, someone in your corner, does wonders for your confidence. A mentor is also a role model, providing an example of success in someone who came before you. This includes how to speak and dress etc. If you have been mentored, then you will understand the concept and its value and you will go on to mentor someone else.
Above all, African Girls Can tries to provide mentoring for its students. We have a teacher liaison who meets periodically with the girls (when school is in session) and we offer Empowerment Camps. In the future, we hope to involve our graduates as mentors to come back to their secondary school.
On November 30, 2020, African Girls Can participated in a webinar by Duke University for its alumni. In “The Art of Being a Great Mentor,” three faculty panelists and a Nobel Prize winning physician (moderator) discussed many aspects of mentoring, including empowering people and encouraging creativity and risk taking – essentially, how to bring out the best in others.
Sanyin Siang is the Executive Director of the Coach K Center on Leadership & Ethics at Duke University. We share some of her mentoring advice here.
What is mentoring?
Enabling greatness in others is more fun and rewarding than “chasing greatness” yourself. We tend to think of mentoring as only helping another person, but we can learn just as much from our mentees. It is a lifelong learning opportunity to mentor others. The mentor/mentee relationship changes over time. The balance can shift and the mentee can become the mentor.
How do we empower other people?
It is a mistake to come in with an expectation of who this person can be. It will overlook their gifts. Chip away at what they are not and be open to understanding them. Start with their hopes and dreams. They won’t care what you know until they know that you care.
Give enough guidance to stay on course without micromanaging. They must play a significant role in getting the project done in order to gain confidence, they must have ownership of what has been achieved.
How do we encourage creativity?
Mentoring is an act of leadership. Ask mentees a lot of questions. Your assumptions about them may be wrong. You must invite them to share their thoughts and ideas. Ask, “what do YOU think?” Putting constraints on a project actually brings creativity. What is the “why?” Why are we doing this, instead of a total “blank page.”
How do we mentor during the pandemic?
Assure them that “life will work out.” Don’t let your fears become their fears. Don’t give your answers, but your perspective. This generation wants to change the world and they feel they are on hold. Tell them they can still change the world, but make it smaller. To do the things they can do. Help their neighbors and friends.
