Mentor-ship is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. The mentor may be older or younger than the person being mentored, but he/she must have a certain area of expertise.
A study from Gallup shows that you are 100% likely to succeed in your career if you have a mentor to guide you on your journey. But, only 22 % of college students have a mentor. And many people are not aware of their mentors. Or you can say that mentors are helping them without making them realize of this factor. Even sometimes people don't consider them as a mentor due to their close relations.
My point is that we all need someone who inspires us to do better than we know how. Throughout my career, I've been fortunate to have great mentors who were willing to take a bet on me and provide meaningful opportunities for growth. These mentors have not only taught me about what is important (both personally and professionally); they have also given me several big breaks.
The value of the mentor and men-tee relationship continues to be made clear to me each and every day. I know that I wouldn't be in the position I am today if I weren't able to get guidance of my mentors.
I had a great mentor in the form of my mother, who had supported me and guided through every walk of my life and made me who I am today. She made countless sacrifices for me. She inspired me to study and be successful. It is her inspiration that I am standing here and successful.
In professional life, I got to meet a very bright and talented person who is very much successful. His name is Mian Asim. He is very humble and very cooperative. I consider him my mentor.
I can recall the first meeting with him very clearly. It was the first day of sports festival. He was there just to see playing others. As, I was very good at sports so I got his attention. After winning the first round of 100 meter race, I warmed down and went to join my fellows company. Right at that time he was discussing some concerns with my class fellows. The moment I joined their company he stop for a moment and appreciated me. But at that time I was not familiar with his fame in the university being a very knowledgeable person.
Event closed and it goes very well. But now the environment of university was totally changed towards studies. I used to keep in touch with him in the exam days for the 1 or 2 semesters. And during this time period I had developed a very strong relation with him. I started hanging out with him, chitchatting, and discussing my personal issues. He was very good at teaching. He helped me in each and every aspect of my life. He inculcate in me the habit of looking things critically. I always found his ideas updated and innovative.
He completed his graduation back in 2001. Then he did MS in computer sciences from the University of Punjab. And soon after his MS he got a job in Askari Bank. Organization from where his journey begin. He worked there for 3 years since he started his professional career. After 3 years he got an offer from NIB bank. After joining NIB bank he become the key personnel of the bank. In the month of June 2017 NIB bank was acquired by MCB. And currently he is heading the trade department of MCB. He has a very wider exposure. After 11 years of experience in banking sector he decided to go for business degree. So, he enrolled for MBA executive and completed this degree with distinction. After completion of his MBA he got many job offers from other banks and companies, but he turned all of them down. He was also offered many other positions within the bank, but he refused. Because he is loving his job.
He is in the professional field for the last 14 years and his exposure is beyond explanation. I could only acquaint you by sharing a story of one meeting, in which one of his friend also joined us for taking advice from Asim. I was at his home when a person joined us, whose name was also Asim. When he joined us they started discussion. I did not participated in any of their discussion as I was only having observer status. After about 2 hours of discussion when that person leaves the house, I asked Asim that who was he? He replied that he is the Assistant Vice President of Atlas Insurance Ltd. And I was stunned, because he was there to get advice from my mentor. Though knowledge cannot be measured by the designation but on that day I came to know about his untold able exposure. I had also witnessed his exposure previously, as not a single aspect of current affairs, economy, establishment, geography, and autonomous bodies etc., was hidden from him. Precisely he remains always updated with each and every sector of the Pakistan and other countries too. Whenever I used to ask him about any aspect, I was never returned dissatisfied.
I am loving to share stories about my mentor but my blog will become too much wordy. In the end I would like to say that he is an ocean of knowledge.
Role of mentee humility:
Remember, the most important thing to make a solid mentor-mentee relationship is 'Active Listening'.
I also find out that we cannot gain something from any adviser without humility. And if we not learn humility, we learn nothing.
"Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real." –Thomas Merton
Whenever you have a teacher, a guider, a mentor or whatever you call him, you have to have the guts of absorbing the harsh words. Because for getting a sincere advice, the advisor needs to explore the negatives and positives.
To make you understand something vividly, the mentor needs to be honest and you have to allow his honesty.
I suggest all of you people to explore a mentor and be with him, he will drive you through tides.
"Be like a bamboo, the higher you grow, the better you bow"
The End.