Managers As Mentors, 3rd Edition

SurrenderingAcceptingGiftingExtending

PART 5EXTENDING—NURTURING A SELF-DIRECTED LEARNER

There are limits to dialogue. This book thus far has assumed that all mentoring occurs in a high-quality conversation between a mentor and a protégé. While it is true that the mentoring process is largely a conversational proceeding, it would be shortsighted and limiting to assume that dialogue is the only path to discovery and insight.

In fact, dialogue itself can be seductive, and the relationship can be codependent. Mentor and protégé in time become very comfortable with each other. The mentor derives personal satisfaction from watching the protégé learn; this leads to more conversation, more encounters. The protégé also finds pleasure in the wisdom of ...