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Y#50 May 1, 2016

Window for action loving PROFESSIONALS

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vt. Pages 11

Krishna The Archetypal Mentor

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Mentee – Mentor relationship

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Mentoring – Myths & Truth 8

Mentoring – Quotes 9

Mentoring – Article in Hindi 10

Mentoringg services11-17

50 Dear Readers

Whether we agree or not, Mentors have played a huge role in our lives. They are around us in various forms, e.g., Teacher, Coach, Trainer, Facilitator, Guide, Counsellor, Inspirators etc.They hone our skills of career and life, fine-tune our leadership, groom us to be better managers, propel us to aspire more and act better, set challenges and help us look inwards for growth outwards.Imagine a world without mentors!How are you looking after your mentors? How are people around you looking up to you? What legacy of learning and knowledge do you intend to leave behind?Time to think.Time to act. whY not?

Cheers,Rajiv [email protected] 9810211256

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The choice of Krishna as the ideal mentor is due to the fact that Krishna performed multiple roles and had numerous mentoring

styles. He was leader, manager, negotiator, manipulator, motivator, influencer, all rolled into one. An account of his

mentorship would therefore enable us see the diverse styles of mentoring that are needed for diverse situations.

Krishna The Archetypal Mentor

http://krishna.org/krishna-the-archetypal-mentor

The mentoring relationship is one that has become the subject of manybusiness myths. Differences in mentoring styles are galore and there is noone mentoring style that is suited for all occasions. It is essential thereforeto first understand what is mentoring and then see the different facets ofmentoring in a mentoring relationship. Mentoring, is the process by whichpeople help a protege to promote the protege’s personal and professionalgrowth for organisational success. Mentoring is routinely seen asmanifesting soft skills such as the classical virtues of kindness andgenerosity. The fact that it can also be harsh seems to escape the mind ofmost theorists. Therefore an account of a real mentoring relationship, onethat is widely recognised and one in which various mentoring styles aremanifested, becomes necessary.

In the Indian context the most successful mentoring relationship is the onebetween Krishna and Arjuna. Religious preachings and the fantasticmythical details have made it difficult to analyse this relationship andseparate fact from fiction. The famous depth psychologist, Carl Jung heldthe opinion that myths were a guide that enabled a person journey towholeness. The fantastic details encountered in myths had to be sifted

through to get to the core message. Using this perspective wecan strip away the divinity associated with Krishna so that weget a picture of the real Krishna and his relationship withArjuna.

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The choice of Krishna as the idealmentor is due to the fact thatKrishna performed multiple rolesand had numerous mentoringstyles. He was leader, manager,negotiator, manipulator,motivator, influencer, all rolledinto one. An account of hismentorship would thereforeenable us see the diverse styles ofmentoring that are needed fordiverse situations.

Arjuna was the individual on whose shoulders the morale of Pandavasrested. His well being heralded victory and he was symbolic of Pandavavalour & glory. He was proud of his achievements, but he was also veryvain and sensitive to other people’s opinion of him. He had varied needsas an individual. Krishna saw the needs as well as the potential of hisyoung friend and built a successful mentoring relationship. As theaccount of not just the war but the entire Pandava saga shows, Krishna’shelp would enable Arjuna to surmount obstacles and achieve successpersonally as well as professionally i.e in his duties as a warrior and aprince.

What lessons of mentoring may be learned from their relationship? Howwas he able to provide support and guidance to an individual whoseneeds were so diverse and so intense?

Show support in word and deed - Building trust

Krishna proclaimed his love for Arjuna publicly and made it clear that he attached the highest importance to his friendship with Arjuna. They spent much time together and Krishna took every opportunity to demonstrate his affection for Arjuna. One of the best examples of this is found in the incident of the burning of the khandav forest . To please Agni, Krishna and Arjuna fought Indraand the devas and defeated them. Pleased with their valour, Indraoffered boons to both of them. While Arjuna asked for weapons, Krishna asked that his friendship with Arjuna continue forever. The mythical dimensions of this story notwithstanding, it makes Krishna’s fondness for Arjuna very clear. The basis of mentorship lies in being publicly supportive and standing by your protege. The first step to mentoring is building trust.

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Constant support without interference-Building self confidence

Krishna was always supportive of Arjuna but he never interfered in Arjuna’s life. He confined his role to providing advice. At no point do we see Krishna commanding Arjuna to take decisions or actions chosen by him. Arjuna had a fragile psyche and he would not have tolerated anyone telling him what to do. Furthermore, it was necessary that Arjuna build confidence in himself. Then only would he be able to take his own decisions. Thus, not only did Krishna not interfere, but he saw to it that Arjuna did not unduly depend upon him-a constant danger in a mentoring relationship.

A relationship of fun and cheer- Building openness and warmth

Krishna’s relationship with Arjuna was not a grim one. Krishna’s penchant for pranks is well known and that ensured that the relationship would have been a warm one with a laughter and cheer. Arjuna with his multiple roles and responsibilities took himself too seriously leading to outbursts and displays of temper. A lightheartedrelationship ensured that Arjuna was able to view his own actions more objectively. Krishna also ensured that stress was reduced and Arjuna was able to feel confident about Krishna’s interest in him. A mentor usually has the mentee in awe of him. Unless mentors show themselves to be comrades, it is impossible for the mentees to open up to them..

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Provide criticism without denigrating the protégé - Have a non-judgemental attitude

Krishna criticised Arjuna’s decisions openly but never denigrated or insulted him. Krishna focused on the issues involved without being judgemental. He did not engage in personal humiliation of Arjuna. Arjuna therefore knew that Krishna would provide him with sound advice and not be swayed by the fear of negatively affecting their relationship.

Support protege in difficult tasks despite reservations -Give unconditional support

Krishna often criticised Arjuna for wrong decisions but he never left Arjuna to fend for himself and reap the consequences of those decisions. When Abhimanyu was killed and Arjuna took a vow that he would either kill Jayadrath by the evening or commit suicide, Krishna was very critical but put heart and soul into assisting Arjuna to achieve his goal. Thus, standing by your protegeagainst all odds even your own disagreement with his decision helps build the mentor-mentee relationship.

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Help protege to make decisions in times of personal crisis - Personal counselling

Krishna was friend cum counselor to Arjuna and took the time out to help resolve Arjuna’s personal distress. When Arjuna faced a moral crisis in fighting his relatives, Krishna came to the rescue by propounding the philosophy enshrined in the Gita. He did not resort to a simplistic command tactic, but made the effort to resolve Arjuna’s moral distress to the best of his ability.

Search for ways to enable the protegebecome aware of his limitations -Encourage self awareness

There are tales of Krishna destroying Arjuna’s vanity. This was never done openly. The tales talk of tests in which he was destined to fail. At the last moment when a dejected Arjuna would be lonely and depressed and thinking of committing suicide, Krishna would appear and tell him the reason for these tests. These tests were related to Arjuna’s overblown pride in his prowess as an archer. Following these tests, a chastened Arjuna vanquished his vanity and worked towards setting higher standards and viewing failure with maturity.

These are seven cardinal principles that can enable a successfulmentoring relationship. Techniques and tactics for putting these intoeffect may differ, but as Stephen Covey puts it, it is important to beclear about principles.The question then arises as to whether the same relationship can bebuilt today. This is possible if one makes it a personal goal to be acomplete mentor and emulate the multiple styles of Krishna. Theother means is to select a role that one is comfortable with & canexcel in and provide mentoring support to those that need it. Thatchoice is ours.

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M Meet often Meet often M

EExplore expectations clearly

Ensure expectations are met

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NNurture relationship; be diligent

Navigate the road ahead; keep the long distance view

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TTransfer learning into actions

Tolerate lapses, correct the course

T

E

Elicit consistently; dig more out of interactions; go prepared

Out grow dependence;help the mentee be on his/her own

O

E

Express gratitude; Evaluate own performance and the relationship regularly

Rejuvenate relationship; enthuse mentee

R

MENTEE – MENTORRELATIONSHIP

- Intellectual property: Rajiv Khurana

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You need a saint or a guru to be a mentorGone are the days of mentees sitting at the feet of the wise one; you never know who might be a powerful learning influence

Mentoring only happens on a one-to-one, long-term, face-to-face basisWith modern technology mentoring can take place by e-mail, telephone, or social media and may only need a few hours

Taking time to mentor decreases productivityMentoring improves productivity through better communication, goal clarity, increased commitment, and succession planning

A mentor needs to be 5-10 years older than the person he/she mentorsInnovations happen so rapidly or personal experience is such a great teacher that younger people often have opportunities to mentor older workers; peers are often effective mentors

Mentoring is a rare experience and only occurs for a few great peopleInformal mentoring is probably the most frequent method of transmitting knowledge and wisdom in society; virtually everyone has experienced it

Mentoring requires a greater time commitment than most workers can affordBeing mentored or being a mentor does not guarantee career advancement, but it does significantly increase on-the-job learning, accelerating career opportunities.

Corporations do not have time for mentorship because they are too busy reorganizing, restructuring, downsizing, rightsizing and survivingThe changing economy and globalization place great strains on time, but a focus on learning increases stability, change management, and financial growth

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“Remember that mentor leadership is all about serving. Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).”― Tony Dungy

“True education does not consist merely in the acquiring of a few facts of science, history, literature, or art, but in the development of character.” ― David O. McKay

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” ― Benjamin Franklin

“Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon.” ― E.M. Forster

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” ― Margaret Mead

“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” ― Phil Collins

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Shuklapaksh, April 1-15, 2016

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©Coaching Learning Advancing Sharpening Smartening

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Y#50 May 1, 2016


Family Business Mentoring

Mentoring YES – Young Entrepreneurs for Success

Career Mentoring

9810211256, [email protected]://in.linkedin.com/in/rajivkhurana

Y#50 May 1, 2016


Family business Mentoring

byRajivKhurana

International Management Consultant & Trainer, Venture Mentor, Executive Coach, Social Entrepreneur, Well published writer…

Family ventures in India serve as the backbone of the economy. Name any field of business or social initiative, and families in India would have played a pivotal role.

Family businesses have their own unique style and culture which keep evolving over the time. Market opportunities have been expanding globally; technology has been helping in the need and speed of delivery and the social and family milieu has created new dimensions in control and decision-making power-centres, besides the newer generation aspiring for new avenues or seeking a higher and faster stake in the enterprise. Complexities have been rising and so has the commitment to succeed.

Globally, businesses are seeking professional MENTORS for advice, strength and support. In India, highly aware families have followed suit. Some are gearing up, while a large number still live in the comfortable bliss of ignorance.

You too can easily reach out to a MENTOR if you identify your family business with any of these illustrative needs:

1/3

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byRajivKhurana

You want your business to move into a new orbit of expansion and excellence

You are bored with a nominal arithmetic progression of growth and wish to transform to a dynamic, geometric progression

You are facing some immediate issues and need a fresh, independent perspective

You need a fresh look at your vision, mission, values and goals

You want your business to raise its standards and performance bar

You desire a rational alignment of all family members and senior executives vis-à-vis your goals and overall direction.

You desire to identify and/or strengthen your competitive edge

You wish to strengthen the work culture and change the customer and people-outlook of your business

You need a sounding board for your ideas

You wish someone could challenge your assumptions and preparedness

You need support to refine the Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes and Work Habits within the family and senior employees

2/3

Y#50 May 1, 2016



byRajivKhurana

You need help in the right induction of family youngsters

You need support for the grooming and mentoring of family youngsters to refine their experience and skills as they get ready for responsible leadership roles

You wish to create a smoother business succession plan for the next generation to take over

You need help in conciliation, reduction or resolution of cross-generation friction

You want to improve the leadership and managerial abilities of the family and the team

You desire a good blending with your partners and all other stakeholders

You need more time for yourself and desire to decentralize and move into an advisory role

You dream to be known as an institution builder instead of remaining a business sustainer

Your choice could be any or many of the above. Professional MENTORING can help your business achieve your aspirations.Let’s talk it out.Fix an appointment for a no-commitment dialogue with RAJIV KHURANA at our office.

9810211256, [email protected]://in.linkedin.com/in/rajivkhurana 3/3

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MENTORING

Young

Entrepreneurs

Success

YESfor

Imagine Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohliwithout a Coach or a Mentor! Parents, friends and well meaning relatives could not have put them on the right path for pursuing greatness.We all need a coach, a mentor, a guide, a facilitator, a reflector, a listener, a professional friend or an advisor.The earlier the better!Make sure that the person is competent and accomplished to help you succeed in personal and professional situations. Your well mentored moves can ease your pursuits through cumbersome challenges of clarity and the complex maze of competence, commitment and creative results. Get set to• Cultivate your skills for a stronger

personality and leadership in your entrepreneurial journey.

• Strengthen your functional and process proficiency.

• Dream Bigger. Achieve Higher.Mentoring by Rajiv Khurana is customized to your personal needs and time flexibility.Fix your appointment for a 30 minute no-commitment dialogue at our office.9810211256, [email protected]://in.linkedin.com/in/rajivkhurana

For Young Entrepreneurs: New in business Starting a new

business Settling into their

family business Wanting to do better

in business


Y#50 May 1, 2016


CAREER MENTORING

C

Confusion: Choices, Entry to Exit, Options, Mid-career blues, Personal branding, Digital presence…

A

Acquisition: From employability to advancement -Knowledge, Skills, Attitude, Habits, Behaviour, Certifications, Courses…

RRoute-map: Goal clarity, Milestones, Personal-action dashboard…

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Engagement: Role clarity, Balancing and aligning with organisational needs, Strengthening Team and Leadership roles, Pacing the performance relays…

E

Excitement: Enhancingintrinsic motivation, Energising challenges, Experimenting with multiple avenues…

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Relationships: Intra and Inter-teams Seniors, Networking, Work-life balancing…

©Rajiv Khurana

WhyCareer mentoring?

by Rajiv Khurana

We choose our career. Our career makes us. Our journey through different checkpoints is full of CompulsionsAmbiguity andRe-prioritizing, yetEnthusiasmEnlightenment and Rejuvenation.How are you sailing through?How often do you feel the need for a coach, a mentor, a guide, a facilitator, a reflector, a listener, a professional friend or an advisor?Considering the appointment of your MENTOR to be the job of your boss or the company alone is letting them take charge of your career.You have the highest stake in your career. You decide. Help for short-term clarity to long-term course correction is just a meeting away.Send an email answering, ”Why do I need a MENTOR?”, and we may invite you for a 30 minute, no-commitment dialogue at our office.9810211256, [email protected]://in.linkedin.com/in/rajivkhurana
