My mentorship journey

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” - Winston Churchill

I still remember the day I first met that shy, quiet and innocent-looking young lad, Avinash Bhat, at a youth mentoring program organized by Mentor Together in Bangalore, India. We were introduced to each other and from there we started our “mentorship” journey. This is a reflection of my experiences to let the world know how special this journey has been for me and how proud it makes me feel when I see Avinash today.

It has been an absolute joy to be a part of his journey from a meek, soft-spoken boy to an ambitious, confident and open-minded person. I feel fortunate to have been able to witness this transformation and pass on whatever little knowledge and experience I have had, in this process. I met Avinash when I had taken only my first strides as a leader. Back then I wasn’t even sure how I could assume responsibility and guide another individual who was looking up to me. We were both new to this journey and secretly ignorant of what lay ahead of us. Over many meetings that we had, we learnt to respect each other and slowly trust followed. He would some days ask me many questions and some days just not speak. There were times I saw reflections of my own personality in Avinash. I was determined to be that special someone whom I wanted during my struggling days. When I look back now, I realize how much this journey has transformed me over the course of time. I have benefited equally from our interactions and endless discussions. All of us whether we are playing the role of a mentor or mentee have the need to constantly grow, learn and evolve.

I still clearly remember my trip to his native village, near Yellapur, some 400 km away from Bangalore. I had the opportunity to meet his parents and to experience the environment he grew up in. Neither was this visit a planned one, nor was it intended to be part of the mentor course program. I might have done it unknowingly but I realized later the impact it had on me. My love and respect towards Avinash grew manifold to see how far he had already come in his journey with no support from anyone other than his family. That visit helped me get a very good understanding of his strengths, the depth of his determination to chase his dreams and precisely why some aspects of his personality needed some mentoring.

Mentorship is a partnership which only works when the mentee has an open mind and is willing to learn and “give-in”. Let’s be honest enough to acknowledge that for someone his age, studying in an engineering college in a large metro like Bangalore, there are countless ways he could have spent his evenings or weekends. Yet, he chose to spend that time with me discussing his choices, projects and career options, working on aspects that would help him reach his goals, and at times simply coming out for a coffee with me.

After completing his Bachelors in Engineering from a premier institute in Bangalore, Avinash is currently pursuing his Masters in Mechatronics from a University in Germany. His German language skills might be deplorable but the confidence he exuberated when I met him recently in his University hostel in Germany made me feel like a proud elder brother.

Mentorship is a journey of two individuals and unfortunately it is the least travelled one. The journey involves the building of a unique relationship based on trust, empathy and moral support. I am hoping this note inspires young adults to come off their comfort zones, believe in their dreams and if you need a helping hand – reach out and find a mentor or coach. And for those with any kind of leadership experience in any field, try and be a mentor, and try and make a difference.