Czech Professionals and The Mentorless Generation 3-3

In this final installment of thoughts and observations to consider regarding the creation of a culturally relevant Czech version of mentoring we’ll examine both ends of the mentoring spectrum from potential dangers and abuses to what mentoring looks like in its highest and best form.

In one of history’s more famous mentoring relationships gone bad, the then Prince Frederick, later to become Frederick The Great, fancied himself a budding poet and chose Voltaire as his mentor. Things started out wonderfully. Frederick had a true intellectual and literary genius as his mentor and Voltaire had access to broader horizons on a number of levels. Later, as Frederick became king, Voltaire is said to have shamelessly taken advantage of Frederick’s position and power, and, betrayed his trust. As one might imagine, Frederick became resentful, he had Voltaire arrested, then exiled and finally came up with this charming quote to describe the termination of their mentoring relationship: “When one has sucked the orange, one throws away the skin.”

In another form of abuse a mentor takes all the credit for work done by the mentee. Conversely, there is a situation in which, while basking in the glory of accomplishment, the mentee fails to acknowledge the contribution of the mentor making the mentor feel used and diminished. There is the ego-centric mentor who is only interested in creating a clone of themselves versus someone who will grow independently. Then, there is the ever popular cross-gender abuse in a mentoring relationship in which the bright, young, MBA protégé of the CEO is promoted rapidly and given incredible access and visibility ending up with the Board of Directors firing the CEO when they discover a romantic involvement—two careers ruined.

Finally, there is the situation of the truly talented, hardworking and dedicated mentee whose mentor suddenly falls out of favor. In this situation the mentee loses the protection of a once highly regarded mentor, is looked at with the same disdain as the mentor because of their relationship and suddenly finds their once meteoric career at a dead-end.

These situations are all true and they play out globally everyday. There is a lesson here: Choose your mentor wisely and enter the relationship with maturity. The perceived power of a mentor can be intoxicating to both mentor and mentee, which, as in other forms of intoxication, can be very destructive. “Sadly, too”, according to G. Dale Meyer, Professor Emeritus and Founding Director of the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado, Boulder, “Some people think mentoring is a political game. It’s not. It is true that your likelihood of success in a corporate environment is greatly diminished without a mentor. However, your prospects within that environment and, even in extreme cases, within an industry, can be irreparably damaged by not being a responsible and mature mentor or mentee.”

A mentoring relationship is complex and not easily defined. It has been likened to a parental relationship in some aspects, as a deep and caring friendship in other aspects, and, as a privileged relationship of openness and confidence such with a doctor or a lawyer in yet other aspects. One thing is clear: it is both an honor and a deep responsibility, on the part of both the mentor and mentee. A mentor must be assured, through experience with the mentee, that the mentee will not abuse his or her access to power, authority and privileged information. And, that the mentee with listen, question and put to use the suggestions of the mentor. The mentee, on the other hand, must feel that the mentor is committed to the relationship and the growth of the mentee.

In interviewing people for this series and in reflecting on our conversations I came to realize that there is a paradox in mentoring: While it’s true that the purpose of it is the career advancement of the mentee. It is also true that if career advancement, in and of itself, is the only reason a mentee participates in a mentoring relationship they will lose out on the true richness, personal growth and wisdom that is so much a part of this tradition.

Good mentors are a source of inspiration and strength throughout our lives and careers.

Mentoring, in its highest and best form, is a process in which inexperience, naïveté, wonder and need are selflessly transformed into experience, knowledge, wisdom and, most importantly the wiliness on the part of the mentee to share those lessons, as a mentor, when they are called upon. This is my hope for “Mentorless Generation” of the Czech Republic as they pass the torch to the first generation of Czech professionals with culturally relevant mentors. Good luck on your way up!