Week 4: Mentors and Proteges

This week, I will focus on what I find to be an important but frequently overlooked topic: the professional relationships between mentors and their proteges. I personally have always sought out these sorts of relationships as I have developed my own career. At my current age of twenty-nine, I have mostly been on the protege side of the equation, seeking out the lessons to be drawn from the knowledge and experience of my more seasoned counterparts. As I look forward to the rest of my career, particularly my chosen specialty of management, I aim to prepare myself to take on the mentoring aspect.

From my own diverse work experiences in aerospace, across many disciplines such as maintenance, assembly, and quality assurance, I am able to personally confirm that the benefits outlined in the textbook are very real. The textbook lists the following benefits available to any protege driven enough to seek out a willing mentor:

• Receiving support from the mentor
• Having the mentor influence others on behalf of the protege
• Getting public recognition from the mentor
• Having the mentor as a friend and role model
• Obtaining greater knowledge of the politics of the organization
• Being promoted by the mentor

 (O'Hair, Friedrich, & Dixon, p. 195)

Mentors also stand to gain from these relationships, as they demonstrate the value to the organization of the mentors abilities and skills to lead. Mentorships are not always available to every employee, but new employees should always seek out the opportunity to become a protege. When and where possible, the benefits for all parties, including the company itself, are immense.



O'Hair, D., Friedrich, G., & Dixon, L. (2011). Strategic communication in business and the professions (7th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.