Mentoring is defined as a relationship between two individuals wherein one, usually older offers support, caring, support and guidance to the other. When I recruit individuals to become mentors for young people in elementary, middle, high school or college or for that matter, senior corporate employees to become mentors to younger employees in a company, initially there is often resistance. I recognize that a few people look at me with suspect and wonder if mentoring can have an impact. Yet I know that mentors get as much if not more out of mentoring then their proteges.

So, if you are wondering about the benefits and impact of mentoring, take my little guided imagery exercise and tell me your answer. Think first of the time when you were very young. Enter the first house or apartment you ever lived in. Remember your first bedroom you slept in, alone or with a sibling or other relative. Was there someone in that house that always cared about you and believed in you?

Go ahead now and spend some time in your community. Did you participate in your early years in sports, attend the local YMCA or Boys & Girls Club, local church, or community center? Anyone there who advocated on your behalf and made you feel special? Now go to school all the way through the grades to high school graduation. Maybe you went to college. Ask yourself if there was someone along this continuum who was your cheerleader; a positive role model, good listener who encouraged you. That was Mr. Hatch for Bill Coors. Mr. Hatch saw something in Bill and pushed him to discovery and confidence. Bill told me that Mr. Hatch changed his life.

Finally think of your first job and the job you have now.

I would love to hear from you.

Dr. Susan G. Weinberger is the President of the Mentor Consulting Group in Norwalk, CT USA. The Boston native received her B.S. degree from Carnegie Mellon University and her doctorate from the College of Business and Public Management at the University of Bridgeport.
For more than three decades, Susan has designed, implemented and evaluated youth and corporate mentoring programs internationally for people of all ages. The premise of her work is simple. She believes that for us to be successful, we must be surrounded by individuals who offer us guidance, support, hope, caring, and advocacy.
“If one saves a single life, it is as if one saved the entire world.” I had the great pleasure of meeting Bill Coors through the power of mentoring. We spoke about Mr. Hatch, his Latin teacher who during a difficult time in Bill’s younger school years, took him under his wing. Hatch recognized something in the lonely boy so far away from home and through tough love, became Coors’ first mentor. I loved hearing Bill’s story about this special man in his life who lifted his spirit and gave him hope. That is the power of mentoring. Bill went on to mentor others. That is called giving back for what has been given to you.

Dr. Susan G. Wienberger