A Brief Historical Tour of Mentoring.
Before the Industrial Revolution. From prehistoric and medieval times until a generation ago, the traditional forms of mentoring worked well—a seamless transfer of of knowledge through “extensive personal contact, regular contact and trust.” (Rauch) -- apprentices practicing their craft through “observation, imitation and practice.” Experience tended to be shared and social and local.
The world changed little from one generation to the next. It was the older generation that held the keys to the kingdom. For they had the kind of experience that was of practical use for the younger generations.
Skipping ahead to Today. We’ve already blown past being a traditional society; perhaps we’ve blown past a society where the old and the young learn from each other. This is no longer a generation gap; it’s a generation chasm. Now, it’s the kids who know more than their elders in many ways -- technology being is one of them.
This is especially so for low-income, underserved youth, who’s starting line in life is far behind that of their middle class and upper middle class counterparts.
Therefore, mentors need to position their mentees for a future that neither what the youth nor the mentors themselves have ever experienced. Thus, mentors need to steep themselves in changemaking.
Enter Margaret Mead. The eminent anthropologist of the last century, Margaret Mead, cited three kinds of societies in her seminal book, Culture and Commitment: A Study of the Generation Gap.
The Contemporary Need: The Mentor-as-Changemaker. In many ways, the individual mentor is outmatched. We need, in short, to find new levers to open the channels through which a more productive flow of healthy energy can release the trapped potential. The new levers will involve a compelling mission and an uncomplicated design.
The individual mentor as the lever to re-channel the energy within, find a cultural group and environmental channels == just the right time and place and level of forcefulness. The results = create a new inner equilibrium — better balance — help to find better external channels clear up existing ones…. .
Before the Industrial Revolution. From prehistoric and medieval times until a generation ago, the traditional forms of mentoring worked well—a seamless transfer of of knowledge through “extensive personal contact, regular contact and trust.” (Rauch) -- apprentices practicing their craft through “observation, imitation and practice.” Experience tended to be shared and social and local.
The world changed little from one generation to the next. It was the older generation that held the keys to the kingdom. For they had the kind of experience that was of practical use for the younger generations.
Skipping ahead to Today. We’ve already blown past being a traditional society; perhaps we’ve blown past a society where the old and the young learn from each other. This is no longer a generation gap; it’s a generation chasm. Now, it’s the kids who know more than their elders in many ways -- technology being is one of them.
This is especially so for low-income, underserved youth, who’s starting line in life is far behind that of their middle class and upper middle class counterparts.
Therefore, mentors need to position their mentees for a future that neither what the youth nor the mentors themselves have ever experienced. Thus, mentors need to steep themselves in changemaking.
Enter Margaret Mead. The eminent anthropologist of the last century, Margaret Mead, cited three kinds of societies in her seminal book, Culture and Commitment: A Study of the Generation Gap.
- The first is the world where the young are mentored by the old, who initiate them into a knowledge base and social norms that are static and unchanging. She called it “postfigurative society.” Let's call it traditional societies.
- The second is a world where the old and young inform and learn from each other. She called it a “co-figurative” society. We're in that world today for sure.
- And third is a world where the young teach the old. She called this a “pre-figurative society.” We're certainly there, especially when we talk about them being natives in our modern digital world.
The Contemporary Need: The Mentor-as-Changemaker. In many ways, the individual mentor is outmatched. We need, in short, to find new levers to open the channels through which a more productive flow of healthy energy can release the trapped potential. The new levers will involve a compelling mission and an uncomplicated design.
The individual mentor as the lever to re-channel the energy within, find a cultural group and environmental channels == just the right time and place and level of forcefulness. The results = create a new inner equilibrium — better balance — help to find better external channels clear up existing ones…. .