To the Protege: Amatur'ed Again
It might have been when I caught myself checking my mirrors, reaching for the turn signal lever extra early, or when I was thinking about the best routes for the third time and where and how I could park MILES BEFORE I would have to make those choices. You see, today, I am no longer a mild-mannered citizen comfortably moving through traffic in my sleek charcoal gray convertible, instead I am driving a 26-foot U-Haul truck with all my family’s belongings, including my sleek charcoal gray convertible attached on a trailer. Today, although I have managed to safely pilot motor vehicles for three decades with very few safety incidents, I am reduced, once again, to the status of beginner…novice…amateur. There's a kind of “temporary incompetence” that comes with being new at something. Everybody can't be an expert at everything. Yet, from time to time, we have to “skill up” quickly to get the job done or even just to get the job (when it comes to seeking employment, the promotion, or the chance to serve). In these cases, mentoring moments and mentoring relationships are perfect solutions. In the situation I described above, driving a U-Haul truck significantly beyond the size and scale of my family vehicle, one may only need a mentoring moment from a person who is credible and competent. In such a situation, here's a few questions you may use to get the help you need: 1. What's it going to be like? 2. What do I need to know in order to do what I need to do? 3. What could possibly go wrong? And how do I stay far from that? 4. How long does it usually take you to do it? How long would it take a novice like me to do it, and what should I look out for in order to make it turn out well? 5. What would you do if you were in my shoes? What would it take for me to see it from your point of view?
These are simple and common sense questions that can help a person get moving again when they've encountered the temporary incompetence of being a novice (perhaps, again).
However, sometimes the situation calls for more long-term mentoring support. For example, when one is new to an organization or company, there are a lot of unwritten rules and conventional wisdom all the old-timers know, but all new-timers have to discover one accident at a time. In such cases, the needful thing is to find a mentor or coach who can offer support over a longer time frame than a “mentoring moment.” In the “beyond a mentoring moment” support, I suggest a slightly different approach. Initiate a mentoring agreement that extends through the transition period of being “amatur'ed.” Set a time period or goal for the mentoring relationship. Take a look at previous posts for tips on establishing a short or long-term agreement.
