3 REPLACEMENTS THAT FEEL LIKE MENTORING BUT AREN’T QUITE

As a road user, whether driver, pedestrian or passenger, have you ever been faced with the situation where about two or three routes leads to your destination, with one of them being the most ideal, but you take the alternate route because you feel or heard that the ideal path is blocked? I don’t know about you, but most times I end up regretting not being patient enough to take the original route. Did the other courses get me to my destination? Yes, but did I enjoy the journey? No.

Now, let me speak in English (and not parables and stories). According to the scenario above, your goal is your targeted destination. How to reach it? There is the way of mentorship, which is the most ideal (and no, I am not biased; it is just the fact) and two other routes. Let me share some facts with you. In a five year study of 1000 employees, 25% of employees who enrolled in a mentoring program had a salary grade change, compared to only 5% of workers who did not participate.[1] So what will it be? Not to worry, I will help you make an informed choice by explaining these other routes to you, and the advantage mentorship has over them.

Coaching: This is the closest to mentoring. In fact, it is so close that the word ‘coaching’ is often used interchangeably with mentoring. Some people even think they are one and the same. But, they could never be more wrong. A coach is an experienced person who helps an individual achieve a specific goal. Note that the keyword is ‘specific’. A coach focuses on the ‘here and now’. For instance, if you get a coach to help you with public speaking, they would develop you in public speaking, and that is all, no more, no less. A mentor, on the other hand, also helps a less experienced person achieve a goal. However, in mentorship, the goal is usually broader, and the relationship lasts longer than that of coaching. While coaching is performance-driven, mentoring is development-driven. A mentor aims to make you the best version of yourself. 

A sponsor: A sponsor is a connector. A sponsor is an individual who supports and vouches for you. They connect you to individuals and networks that will help advance you in your career or field. Having a sponsor is not a bad idea. But why have just a sponsor, when you can have a mentor who will be a sponsor and more to you? Mentors are also connectors; they connect you to the right sources while still guiding and grooming you into becoming the best.

A board of directors/advisors: Some would say why have one when you can have more? Well, I would say it is not about the number of advisors you have, but about the quality of the advice, you get. Having a board of advisors is having a few people who you seek advice and counselling from, which in itself is not a bad thing. However, it becomes a problem when you have a board of directors in the same area or for the same issue. This shows that you do not trust and value the knowledge and advice of your advisors. In the mentoring world, we believe an individual can have more than one mentor-but, not on the same thing. A person could have one mentor for finance and another for marriage. Hence, having a board of advisors is not to be confused with having multiple mentors.

A man of too many friends comes to ruins, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

If you have one or all these people mentioned above, it is no problem. But, I would have you know that a mentor can perform the duties of a coach, a sponsor, a board of advisors and more. Are you still contemplating getting a mentor? Trust me. A mentor will do you a lot of good.

Thank you for reading. Do you prefer these replacements to a mentor? Please share your thoughts with me in the comment section.

[1] https://mccarthymentoring.com/why-mentoring-what-the-stats-say/