Unlocking Hidden Potential through Mentoring

One of the many legacies left to us through ancient Greek literature is the concept of mentoring (Nash & Treffinger, 1993; Noller & Frey, 1995). In fact, the term itself originated in Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, wherein Odysseus (Ulysses) – when he was setting off for the wars in Troy – asked his trusted friend Mentor to care for his son Telemachus. To further complicate matters, as Homer was wont to do, Mentor turned out to be the goddess Athena in disguise. In any case, picking up on mythology, Boston (1976) noted that the ideal mentoring relationship involves three key components: (1) continuing to carry out other duties while assuming the care-giving role (Mentor did not, in any sense, become merely a full-time babysitter); (2) serving as a conduit for the wisdom of others (Mentor, the classic “guide on the side”, accessed and channeled information from many sources to provide direction for Telemachus); and (3) developing a long-term connection (Mentor was a continuing influence and support as the boy grew to adulthood). Daloz (1986) later suggested that, during the metaphorical journey of discovery, the mentor must indeed become a guid