THE NEED FOR NEW DESIGNS IN MENTORING
Malcolm Gladwell offers some perspective and insight on growing-up-poor-yet -becoming successful. In his podcast, Revisionist History’s “Carlos Doesn’t Remember,” he tells the story of Carlos, who could very well be Aurelio. “Carlos understood that he needed to be an outstanding student, not merely a good one. Talent is really, really fragile.” (Talent is evenly distributed; opportunity is not.” Mayor Sam Liccardo of San Jose)
“The emotional toll of poverty takes a huge toll. You have to have a champion in your court.”
I would add Carlos needed not only a champion but a team of champions.
Mention the physics of change
To quote, Bill Drayton, the founder of Ashoka: Innovators for the Pubic, “The demand for repetitive work has fallen exponentially over the last three centuries while over that same time frame the rate of change has increased exponentially. Those who can’t adapt to change or contribute to change will fall behind.”
Therefore, everyone, irrespective of age or station in life, needs to be what he calls a “changemaker.” These trends are particularly germane for the world of work.
This is especially so for low-income, underserved youth, who’s starting line in life is far behind that of their middle class and upper middle class counterparts. Therefore, mentors need to position their mentees for the future the mentors themselves have not experienced. Mentors need to steep themselves in changemaking. What better place than to focus on workplace skills.
Change in its most general sense is the process of going from what is to whatever comes next. Positive change is the process of going from what is to what’s better. To bring about positive change there needs to be a catalyst to release and redirect pent-up energy. In brief, the mentor serves as a catalyst—leverage if you will that involves enlisting the right nudge at the right time, connecting a mentee’s intentions with results.
THE NEED FOR A NEW DESIGN
From prehistoric and medieval times until a generation ago, the traditional forms of mentoring worked well—a seamless transfer of of knowledge through “extensive personal contact, regular contact and trust.” (Rauch), apprentices practicing their craft through “observation, imitation and practice.” Experience tended to be shared and social and local. The world changed little from one generation to the next. It was the older generation that held the keys to the kingdom. For they had the kind of experience that was of practical use for the younger generations.
That’s not the world we live in now—not even close. Now, it’s the kids who know more than their elders—and in significant ways — technology is one.
The eminent anthropologist of the last century, Margaret Mead, cited three kinds of societies in her seminal book, Culture and Commitment: A Study of the Generation Gap. The first is the world where the young are mentored by the old, who initiate them into a knowledge base and social norms that are static and unchanging. She called it “postfigurative society.” The second is a world where the old and young inform and learn from each other. She called it a “co-figurative” society. And third is a world where the young teach the old. She called this a “pre-figurative society.”
We’ve already blown past being a traditional society; perhaps, even, we’ve blown past a society where the old and the young learn from each other. This is no longer a generation gap; it’s a generation chasm.
The individual mentor as the lever to re-channel the energy within, find a cultural group and environmental channels == just the right time and place and level of forcefulness. The results = create a new inner equilibrium — better balance — help to find better external channels clear up existing ones…. .
In many ways, the individual mentor is outmatched. We need, in short, to find new levers to open the channels through which a more productive flow of healthy energy can release the trapped potential. The new levers will involve a compelling mission and an uncomplicated design.
Chapter Four: Toward a New Design in Mentoring.
Mention the physics of change Building on Aurelio’s Journey, we create a new design for mentoring that centers around the power of groups. We introduce the concept of group mentoring, which spans the recruiting of mentors and mentees, orients, screens and matches. Another innovation is First, we create two teams. The first a is an “action tank,” a steering committee consisting of retired professionals who plan strategies, diagnose needs and oversee the implementation of strategies. The second team carries out the strategies. This implementation team models two innovations: cascading and reciprocal mentoring among adults In addition we utilize new video conferencing technologies to conduct many of the traditional mentoring tasks on-line. Another innovation is the use of group mentoring.
Together, older persons and young adults can unleash an untapped source of innovation: two undervalued and underutilized sets of human resources combining forces to bring out the best in each other and form a highly productive and cost–effective team. Each generation can guide the other—younger folks instructing their elders in the ways of new technology and older persons offering their experience.
The result: a “win-win-win.” It’s a win for older persons, by giving them new opportunities for living a healthy and productive life well into the traditional retirement years. It’s a win for young adults, especially in launching them into the world of work and giving them the opportunity to work older folks. And, most important of all, it’s a win for low-income students themselves and their families.
“The emotional toll of poverty takes a huge toll. You have to have a champion in your court.”
I would add Carlos needed not only a champion but a team of champions.
Mention the physics of change
To quote, Bill Drayton, the founder of Ashoka: Innovators for the Pubic, “The demand for repetitive work has fallen exponentially over the last three centuries while over that same time frame the rate of change has increased exponentially. Those who can’t adapt to change or contribute to change will fall behind.”
Therefore, everyone, irrespective of age or station in life, needs to be what he calls a “changemaker.” These trends are particularly germane for the world of work.
This is especially so for low-income, underserved youth, who’s starting line in life is far behind that of their middle class and upper middle class counterparts. Therefore, mentors need to position their mentees for the future the mentors themselves have not experienced. Mentors need to steep themselves in changemaking. What better place than to focus on workplace skills.
Change in its most general sense is the process of going from what is to whatever comes next. Positive change is the process of going from what is to what’s better. To bring about positive change there needs to be a catalyst to release and redirect pent-up energy. In brief, the mentor serves as a catalyst—leverage if you will that involves enlisting the right nudge at the right time, connecting a mentee’s intentions with results.
THE NEED FOR A NEW DESIGN
From prehistoric and medieval times until a generation ago, the traditional forms of mentoring worked well—a seamless transfer of of knowledge through “extensive personal contact, regular contact and trust.” (Rauch), apprentices practicing their craft through “observation, imitation and practice.” Experience tended to be shared and social and local. The world changed little from one generation to the next. It was the older generation that held the keys to the kingdom. For they had the kind of experience that was of practical use for the younger generations.
That’s not the world we live in now—not even close. Now, it’s the kids who know more than their elders—and in significant ways — technology is one.
The eminent anthropologist of the last century, Margaret Mead, cited three kinds of societies in her seminal book, Culture and Commitment: A Study of the Generation Gap. The first is the world where the young are mentored by the old, who initiate them into a knowledge base and social norms that are static and unchanging. She called it “postfigurative society.” The second is a world where the old and young inform and learn from each other. She called it a “co-figurative” society. And third is a world where the young teach the old. She called this a “pre-figurative society.”
We’ve already blown past being a traditional society; perhaps, even, we’ve blown past a society where the old and the young learn from each other. This is no longer a generation gap; it’s a generation chasm.
The individual mentor as the lever to re-channel the energy within, find a cultural group and environmental channels == just the right time and place and level of forcefulness. The results = create a new inner equilibrium — better balance — help to find better external channels clear up existing ones…. .
In many ways, the individual mentor is outmatched. We need, in short, to find new levers to open the channels through which a more productive flow of healthy energy can release the trapped potential. The new levers will involve a compelling mission and an uncomplicated design.
Chapter Four: Toward a New Design in Mentoring.
Mention the physics of change Building on Aurelio’s Journey, we create a new design for mentoring that centers around the power of groups. We introduce the concept of group mentoring, which spans the recruiting of mentors and mentees, orients, screens and matches. Another innovation is First, we create two teams. The first a is an “action tank,” a steering committee consisting of retired professionals who plan strategies, diagnose needs and oversee the implementation of strategies. The second team carries out the strategies. This implementation team models two innovations: cascading and reciprocal mentoring among adults In addition we utilize new video conferencing technologies to conduct many of the traditional mentoring tasks on-line. Another innovation is the use of group mentoring.
Together, older persons and young adults can unleash an untapped source of innovation: two undervalued and underutilized sets of human resources combining forces to bring out the best in each other and form a highly productive and cost–effective team. Each generation can guide the other—younger folks instructing their elders in the ways of new technology and older persons offering their experience.
The result: a “win-win-win.” It’s a win for older persons, by giving them new opportunities for living a healthy and productive life well into the traditional retirement years. It’s a win for young adults, especially in launching them into the world of work and giving them the opportunity to work older folks. And, most important of all, it’s a win for low-income students themselves and their families.