The Skid Pan of Mentoring: Where Safe Testing Leads to Personal Growth
Peter Unelind
President, Making the Shift | Driving Sustainable Profitable Growth | Leading Business Improvement ??
Over the years, I realized that mentoring is much like a skid pan (test track to learn to drive on slippery road conditions) — a controlled environment where daring to push boundaries is not only encouraged but essential for growth.
Just as the skid pan provides a safe space for testing driving skills without real-life traffic, mentoring offers a secure haven to explore and innovate without the fear of real-world repercussions.
In this mentoring skid pan, one is encouraged to try, fail, learn, and refine. Much like on the real driving skid pan, where controlled skidding teaches handling in adverse conditions, mentoring allows us to experiment, innovate, and adapt without the pressure of real-world consequences.
It's about trying out new approaches, seeking feedback, and honing skills in a supportive and nurturing environment. It's about building the confidence to push the limits, knowing that the consequences are minimal and the lessons invaluable.
So, let's try the mentoring skid pan mentality — dare to push boundaries, experiment fearlessly, and learn from the skids.
After all, it's in these safe yet daring environments that we truly find our footing and accelerate our growth.
Have you found mentoring to be your skid pan for personal or professional growth?
#Leadership #Mentoring #SkidPan
Manager Product Knowledge & Creation @ Sandvik Coromant | PhD | Product Management | R&D | AI enthusiast
6 个月True! It’s very important to be outside the comfort zone when learning. The skid pan is a great way to challenge the mentee without taking high risks??
Business Director, Interim Services ?? Development, People, Culture, HRD ?? B2B Sales, Operations, Marketing Brand Communication ?? Sustainable & Profitable Growth ?? ex Head of Business Development, HR Director, Manager
6 个月Answer for your question is absolutely Peter! I am true believer that collaboration is the key element for testing one’s idea, receiving and giving feedback, forming thinking forward for better. Mentor/mentee is one form of collaboration. Very important one. I am so glad to hear your volunteer work, I do that myself too. One needs to give to get some. Great post, thank you ??
President, Making the Shift | Driving Sustainable Profitable Growth | Leading Business Improvement ??
6 个月And mentoring can be done in several forms and settings. I do not only enjoy being a mentor and mentee in very professional/industry-oriented settings. I am also volunteering as a mentor, in Sweden currently via https://www.yrkesdorren.se/en/.