I have been asked this question by many people. The short answer: I am a mentor. Perhaps the question is more appropriately: why am I not a part of the WDA Mentor Program? Well, that may be a bit more complex.
Truly, I am not a part of the WDA Mentor Program. Once upon a time I did participate in that program. And I believe that the WDA Mentor Program is an excellent opportunity for students and dentists. However, the WDA Mentor Program is not a good fit for me. That doesn’t mean I’m not a mentor though.
Huh? Yes, I do consider myself to be a mentor. So maybe this begs the question: what the heck is a mentor? And now that’s a really tough question to answer as there are MANY ideas and definitions regarding what a mentor can and should be. Mix in the whole idea of mentoring programs, both formal and informal, versus individual mentoring, both formal and informal and I could go on and on. And how do we separate mentoring from teaching and coaching? To me there is much overlap and confusion and certainly not anything that I can clearly define…but let’s try.
So I am a teacher. As such I feel obliged to provide to my students educational materials usually in the form of information. Sometimes that providing of education/information requires a higher level of input and attention from me and that’s when I believe I step into the role of coach. In fact, I believe a great deal of my daily teaching falls into the category of coaching. And what do I mean by that? I provide step-by-step instructions on how to perform an activity and then I stand by to monitor and critique progress toward an end product or goal. Much like a baseball batting coach analyzing a player’s swing then making suggestions on how to improve/maximize a swing technique, I will give feed back on how a student is: holding a hand piece; developing a margin; carving anatomy; collecting data; just about everything that leads to a dental end goal.
Mentor. Now that’s a bit more complex. I believe I am a mentor and, as such, I am necessarily going beyond a teaching and/or coaching role (although teaching and coaching are integral parts of being a mentor) with someone. To me, being a mentor is about a deeper relationship that develops organically all on its own (two people who’s philosophies and mannerisms align and are compatible). Oftentimes a teaching relationship provides a convenient means/venue for a mentoring relationship to develop but, to me, mentoring doesn’t necessarily depend upon a teaching environment to flourish. And I don’t believe someone just declares themself to be a mentor: I believe we become a mentor only when a person chooses us to be their mentor. In other words, I am a mentor because someone chose me to be their mentor (versus being a teacher where no one has a say in my being their teacher). And the person who chooses me to be their mentor then becomes recognized as a protégée or protégé.
So what happens in a mentor/protégée/protégé relationship? Certainly teaching and coaching. But there is necessarily a great deal more dialogue. Comfortable dialogue. Richer dialogue. And that dialogue usually spills over into thoughts and ideas beyond the educational or workplace task at hand. Oftentimes dialogue includes bigger picture ideas such as life experiences. And continual dialogue necessarily leads to the development of richer levels of trust. Mentors, I believe, must necessarily bare their souls to their protégées/protégés and this requires trust. At the same time protégées/protégés trust that they can initiate dialogue with their mentor about their deepest fears, darkest moments, and greatest elations (mentors are sometimes the first people that protégées/protégés will go to with pressing educational and/or workplace issues). Most often, solid mentor/protégée/protégé relationships develop into lifelong meaningful friendships.
So I am proud to say that I am a mentor. I have been chosen to be someone’s mentor. I take great pride in that fact. I am humbled when someone chooses me to be their mentor. And I am acutely aware of the responsibility that comes along with my being someone’s mentor. In other words, my being a mentor is not something I take lightly yet it’s something I cherish.
Doc's Writing Refuge 