(from the article) "It is important for us to see that our mentors are human and, therefore, fallible; it makes our own short-comings more tenable." – John Wooden, and “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou.
(taken from this site) “How you coach them is how they’re going to play.”― Stefan Fatsis, author & journalist.
I actually have Angelou’s quote as a poster hanging in my classroom; I strongly believe that we remember most through our emotions, over that of what we read or what someone simply tells us. Being able to provide my mentee with a feeling of trust, compassion, and unwavering support is the most important part of being a successful mentor. In building trust, I think Wooden’ quote is pertinent: just because I am a mentor does not mean I have all the answers nor make mistakes. As I mentioned in my Part 2 response, showing my mentee that I also feel anxiety or am sometimes overwhelmed makes me human, and thus relatable. I never connected with someone who presented themselves as higher-than-thou or someone who knew every answer to every scenario. Rather, allowing myself to “be real” with my mentee hopefully builds that trust and respect that is imperative to a valuable and successful relationship.
Fatsis’ quote is not just applicable to coaching a team; it absolutely can apply to any aspect in life. I say to my swim team athletes and my students often, “You will perform the way you practice” - but it is up to me to teach them how to practice in the first place. The same can be said for mentorship: I need to model “the how” when my mentee is unsure, just like I need to provide feedback along with constructive criticism.
(taken from this site) “How you coach them is how they’re going to play.”― Stefan Fatsis, author & journalist.
I actually have Angelou’s quote as a poster hanging in my classroom; I strongly believe that we remember most through our emotions, over that of what we read or what someone simply tells us. Being able to provide my mentee with a feeling of trust, compassion, and unwavering support is the most important part of being a successful mentor. In building trust, I think Wooden’ quote is pertinent: just because I am a mentor does not mean I have all the answers nor make mistakes. As I mentioned in my Part 2 response, showing my mentee that I also feel anxiety or am sometimes overwhelmed makes me human, and thus relatable. I never connected with someone who presented themselves as higher-than-thou or someone who knew every answer to every scenario. Rather, allowing myself to “be real” with my mentee hopefully builds that trust and respect that is imperative to a valuable and successful relationship.
Fatsis’ quote is not just applicable to coaching a team; it absolutely can apply to any aspect in life. I say to my swim team athletes and my students often, “You will perform the way you practice” - but it is up to me to teach them how to practice in the first place. The same can be said for mentorship: I need to model “the how” when my mentee is unsure, just like I need to provide feedback along with constructive criticism.