The Elements of Mentoring, Revised Edition

I've read roughtly 20 books on mentoring over the past six months in the course of building a mentor training program for a major corporation.

This one, along with Larry Daloz's book (for very different reasons) is best for my purposes, because of its excellent use of good references, clear organization and explanations, and choice of topics. Very much like the Strunk and White book it's patterned after.

Thanks!

This book may prove valuable if the reader has little or no background with self development and leadership as it relays a lot of truths from those areas with respect to mentoring.

However, this book is just not my style. I prefer down to earth, straightforward advice without excess words. My style may not be yours...if you find the following three sentences valuable this book may be for you.

1. "Reinforce creativity while tempering over-expansiveness with reality and pragmatics."

2. "Allow the protege to serve as your emissary at times--shielded by your reflective power and functioning on your behalf."

3. "Understand that your affirmative narration will be quite meaningful to your protege and that it will strengthen the mentorship bond."

I read this book front to back and there is a significant amount of repetition. This book is best suited as a reference...if you have an issue or an interest use the index to just read about that particular topic.

If you are looking for a comprehensive and well-structured guide to mentoring - this is perfect choice. Presented concepts are intuitive and have practical application. What is also important, the book is fun to read. I recommend it both to new adepts of mentoring as well to those more experienced.

i skimmed through this book and was very impressed. it pointed out to me how i should mentor as well as pointing out how i should be mentored. i learned what has been missing in the mentoring that i receive. i am hoping that it will help me ask for the type of mentoring that i want and need.

This is a valuable book. These authors have managed to distill a very broad topic into easily applied principles. As both a mentor and protege I am grateful for this book. I am now ordering this book as a gift for all my favorite mentors in my Harvard post-doctoral program. I recommend you do the same for those menotors in your life.