Planning Management: Mentoring, or lacking one, homage to an inspirational figure
Mentoring, distinct from a single directional process such as teaching or training, creates a more sophisticated and developed relationship. Here, the mentee takes control, and seeks advice from the mentor. Traditionally, face-to-face mentoring has been the main form, however, with advent of modern technology we are opened to the possibility of virtual mentors. Virtual mentoring, removes the barrier of time as well as geographical distance, however, whilst it makes up in flexibility it lacks in intimacy and spontaneity.
Personally, the closest thing I have to a mentor would be a family friend who used to be an engineer and was a member of the sea scouting community. Since retired, he has provided me with life lessons as well as more mundane skills, such as driving lessons when I was younger, as well as an opportunity to work as a (paid!) labourer when he was renovating his house whilst learning some basic maintenance skills. It was also through him, that I got to sail on a Scout Cutter to Rangitoto Island and Tiritiri Matangi Island within Auckland’s gulf harbour. I would say he represents to me, some of the core quintissential qualities of the archetypal New Zealand bloke, and whenever I would need advice on something, he would be one of the first persons I turn to.
