what is a mentor and a protege?
    mentor
        a sounding board
        a guide
        someone who is interested in another's development
        someone who is currently a leader
        someone who is willing to share their experience and knowledge
    protege
        someone who wants to develop his or her potential
how much time will it take?
    minimum time commitment—two hours every other week
    mentors and proteges may choose to spend more time together
    meetings should be at times that are convenient for both
    communication can also take place through phone or e-mail
the protege  
leadership values
    initiative
        take action without prompting or direction from others
        do more than is required or expected
        find and creatie new opportunities
        example behaviors:
            do what needs to be done
            set goals for yourself and work to achieve them
            when you don't understand, seek clarification
            you have to take the initiative, others won't do it for you
            willingly volunteer to work on tasks
                consider your current workload and obligations
    flexibility
        understand and appreciate different perspectives on an issue
        adapt to changing situations
        lead change in your community
        example behaviors:
            adapt to changes around you
            continually work on your own ability to quickly adapt
            understand your community's vision
                align your efforts towards achievement of it
            cooperate and collaborate with others as change occurs
            personally support change that occurs
            help others understand the reasons for change
    innovation
        anticipate future needs and opportunities
        create something through your own effort or in collaboration with others
        continuous improvement
        example behaviors:
            look for things that need to be changed or improved
            work with others to make changes/improvements
            talk to others about continuous improvement
                look for what you can do to change things
            be open to examining changes that lead to improvement
    ethical
        support and practice ethical standards
        keep your word
        example behaviors:
            give direct feedback (positive or negative) to others
            be consistent in what you say to others
            communicate decisions and actions
            be clear that you intend to adhere to ethical practices
    responsibility
        responsible for actions
        responsible for personal performance
        example behaviors:
            participate willingly
                support group decisions
                do your share of the work
            follow through on commitments
            understand and own of the results the community is committed to achieving
            you can be relied on to complete tasks
            if you cannot complete tasks
                delegate authority to others
                or arrange an alternative solution
    external focus
        commit to make others the focus of your actions
        example behaviors:
            you are here to meet other's needs efficiently and effectively
            other's needs and balance those with the needs of the community
            confirm that other's expectations are being met
    mutual respect
        maintain acceptable standards of personal behavior
        ensure that all have opportunity to live in an atmosphere that promotes respect for each
        example behaviors: 
            consider how others feel
            treat them with dignity and respect
            deal with the issues
            value, honor and rely on everyone's contribution
            make supportive and positive comments to and about others
    developing self & others
        strong commitment to on-going learning, coaching and development of myself and others
        use your skills to teach, support and recognize others
        example behaviors:
            teach others by your example
            share your knowledge of specific skills and functions
            support and encourage others to learn and expand their knowledge and skills
            coach
                help others achieve and grow
                provide positive feedback and ideas for improving performance
            actively participate and promote participation
            recognize the efforts and achievements of others
            be accessible and approachable
mentoring guidelines
    environment
        high level of trust
        freedom to explore
        open discussion
        low level of risk
    relationship
        adult to adult
            not teacher - student
            not master - apprentice
        beyond 8 a.m to 5 p.m. day
        beyond traditional roles / positions
    commitment
        privacy
        integrity
        character
        wisdom
    mutual learning
        protege learns from mentor
        mentor learns from protege
    responsibility
        mentor reponsible to protege
        mentor not responsible for protege
    wholistic approach
        training talent
        nuturing character
            mental traits
            ethics
    mentoring process
        prepage specific goals - protege
        tracking
            monitor - mentor
            review - mentor and protege
                critique
            discuss options - mentor and protege
        use a stepping-stone process
            build on previous accomplishments
        balance listening with delivering information - mentor and protege 
        give options as well as direction
        share failures as well as successes - mentor and protege
    autonomy
        encourage independence of protege - mentor
    risks
        co-dependency
            mentor needs to encourage independence in protege
        infallibility
            mentor not infallible
        fallout
            protege's action may reflect back upon mentor
getting started
    who are we?
        find out what each other does
        what's important to each of you?
    what are we going to do?
        what do you hope to gain from this partnership?
        why does the protege want to become a future leader?
        what does the mentor like about being a leader?
        which leadership values are you going to focus on?
        why did you each choose those values?
    how are we doing?
        after a couple of meetings or conversations ask each other:
            what you're gaining from this partnership?
            how could it be even better?
        mentors should remember to praise and encourage generously
    what's next?
        protege
            find out what you can do to develop or practice one of the leader values
        mentor
            think about how you might help your protege develop their skills
            invite them to observe you giving a presentation
            recommend a book or an article that you found inspiring
    tips
        give your partnership time to develop
            don't expect too much too soon
        OK to have different communication styles or ambitions
        mentors should help proteges look at situations from a different perspective
        if one of you believes it would be best to end your partnership, do so
            it is a no-fault situation
        remember, your goal is to learn from each other.
mentor's roles
    communicator
        encourages two-way exchange of information
        listens to protege's concerns and responds appropriately
        establishes an environment for open interaction
        schedules uninterrupted time to meet with protege
        acts as sounding board for ideas and concern
    counselor
        works with protege to identify and understand skills, interests, and values
        helps protege evaluate appropriateness of options
        helps protege plan strategies to achieve mutually agreed-upon personal goals
    coach
        helps to clarify performance goals and developmental needs
        teaches leadership and technical skills
        reinforces effective performance
        recommends specific behaviors in which protege needs improvement
        clarifies and communicates goals and objectives
        serves as role model
            leads by example
    advisor
        communicates the realities of personal development
        recommends training opportunities from which the protege could benefit
        recommends appropriate strategies for direction
        reviews the protege's development plan on a regular basis
        helps the protege identify obstacles to progression and take appropriate action
    broker
        expands the protege's network of contacts
        helps bring together different proteges who may mutually benefit by helping each other
        helps link protege with appropriate educational opportunities
        helps the protege identify resources required for progression
    referral agent
        identifies resources to help the protege with specific problems
        follows up to ensure that the referred resources were useful
the mentor  
 
Beyond the Myths and Magic of Mentoring:
    How to Facilitate an Effective Mentoring Process - Margo Murray  
Deepening Witchcraft - Grey Cat    
Mentoring: A Practitioner's Guide - Training and Development, March 1995.
Mentoring: A Success Guide for Mentors and Proteges - Floyd Wickman & Terri Sjodim
Spiritual Mentoring: A Pagan Guide - Judy Harrow  
Center for Coaching & Mentoring Inc. - http://www.coachingandmentoring.com
Big Dog's Leadership Link Page - http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leader.html
 
Reading Suggestions