Mentorship Series Conclusion
The practice of mentorship dates back to biblical days. Scripture records multiple occurrences of individuals being mentored, be it in the family or public life. As evident in the book of Exodus (18:14-26), we see Moses being mentored by his father-in-law Jethro as he led the people of Israel, and he, subsequently, mentored Joshua and the elders of Israel. Similarly, Ruth was mentored by Naomi in the book of Ruth (1-3), and Jesus himself throughout the gospels mentored His disciples. But the question lingers, is mentorship still relevant in the world today?
As we try to ascertain the value people today place on mentorship and what their perceptions are, we sat down with a young attorney in training Pastoral Intern, Lemar Wiliams, and Linden Branch Manager of Assuria Insurance Guyana, Philip Chance, who both shared their experiences and perception of mentorship, and how it has impacted their lives.
Pastoral Intern, Lemar Williams described mentorship as one of the single most essential tools for self-development. Reflecting on his encounter with various mentors, he credited his achievements to mentors such as Presiding Bishop of First Assembly of God, Dr Murtland Raphael Massiah, Senior Assistant Pastor, Reverend Winston Assanah, Executive Pastor Dr Wilbert Lee, Pastor Paul Benjamin, and the Late Pastor Raphael Jackman. These men, he said, were instrumental in fostering and nurturing him as a leader. He also credited his in-service trainer and mentor at the Hugh Wooding Law School, Attorney-at-Law Mrs. Tamara Khan, his lecturers, Former Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Mr. Eden Charles, and his high school teacher Ms. Mansion, for the guidance, inspiration, and motivation they provided in making his career journey less burdensome.
Brother Philip Chance, however, experienced mentorship in varying ways. As a father of two (2) children, he enjoys providing guidance for his children and family but benefited tremendously from career mentorship while working in the insurance industry. This kind of mentorship, he said, prepared him for the office he now serves. It helped him to build capacity on the job, enhanced his sales and customer service skills, and allowed him to train young recruits in the industry.
Perception
Mentorship was classified as a pivotal component of life’s journey by both Brother Chance and Pastoral Intern, Lemar Williams. They held the common view that learning from those with experience and knowledge can help a mentee avoid mistakes and pitfalls as well as map out a clearer road to success. Pastoral Intern, Lemar Williams further noted that his encounter with mentorship has taught him accountability and helped him to recognise and embrace his innate potential. He believes that mentorship is of utmost importance, having always held dear to his heart Proverbs 15:22 which translates, “Purposes are established in a multitude of counselors”. He was always cognisant, that if his purposes were to be established, mentorship was necessary.
Choosing a mentor
Choosing a mentor can sometimes be intimidating, confusing, and challenging, but for Pastoral Intern Lemar Williams, it was a combination of internal and external factors. He said, “As a young man, I looked at the world and at the way decisions were made, I looked at the things I needed and realised that I didn’t know it all as brilliant as I thought I was, so I made an active and conscientious decision to pursue mentorship from people who have already walked this journey. I looked for people who possess the knowledge that I need and actively learn from them. My mother was also instrumental in my decision to seek mentorship. After my dad passed, my mom helped to identify a network of male role models for me to stay close to or to connect with and I did just that.”
Mentors should be creditable people who enjoy their role. Both Brother Philip Chance and Pastoral Intern Learmar Williams agreed that a mentor should possess some key character traits. He or she should be:
- someone with a vision who can inspire and motivate others towards success
- someone with the ability to share his/her life experience
- someone with the ability to recognise the potential in their mentee, and provide the necessary guidance
- someone who has attained specific goals that the mentee is aiming for, and who shares their values and definition of success
- someone with integrity and stability, who can communicate effectively, give feedback, is balanced and understands accountability
Is Mentorship Still Needed?
Providing guidance for others to develop their full potential is a process that will be forever needed for human development. Now more than ever, Pastoral Intern, Lemar Williams believes that mentorship is critical for young men and women, especially because roles and values are daily becoming almost obsolete and they are constantly changing. He noted that “young people today are searching for a sense of identity, and to find that identity it’s always good to be mentored by someone who sees your potential and is willing and able to guide you along your path.” Brother Philip Chance, however, is of the view that older people also need mentorship to help them foster growth and transformation.
Clearly, we see an overflow of mentorship initiatives being made available not only in our local church ministries such as Royal Rangers, Nulli Secundus Youth Group, Sunday School, and Children’s Church among others but, also nationally in our schools and cooperative environments. This reality in itself proves that mentorship is still in demand.
We are all involved in some aspect of mentorship whether knowingly or unknowingly. The Word of God mandated believers to mentor others. Proverbs 27:17 reminds us that “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 tells us that we should teach our children the commandments of God while we sit at home, walk along the road and lie down, and Jesus himself gave us the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20) to go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything He has have commanded.
Mentoring is more than just the transfer of knowledge, it also involves demonstrating with our lifestyle who God is and showing others His love.
Let us commit to mentoring those around us!
