Advantages of Leadership Mentoring

Mentoring is a process that focuses specifically on providing guidance, direction, and career advice. In government, Mentoring, like Coaching, is a ‘helping’ activity, which enables individuals to achieve their full potential. 

Distinct from mentoring, coaching is not based on the coach's subject matter expertise; rather it is based on the coach partnering with the coachee using established techniques and a thought-provoking and creative process to guide the coachee toward his/her goals without giving advice.  

In the scripture, Abraham mentored Eleazer and Isaac,
Isaac mentored Jacob, Rachael played her role in Jacob's mentoring.

Pharaoh’s daughter mentored Moses, he (Moses) was also mentored by his father-in-law, Jethro, Moses mentored Joshua.

David mentored his mighty men of war, he mentored Solomon too.

Abigail tutored her servants, Elijah mentored Elisha,
Elisha mentored Kings, Jeremiah mentored King Josiah,
the duo were friends, and of the same generation, I think!

Joseph and Mary were the earthly mentors of Jesus Christ,
Jesus mentored the 12 and 70 disciples, Barnabas mentored Paul, Paul mentored Timothy, he also mentored Philemon and Onesimus; they were master and slave respectively,
Paul mentored many other people too.

The Disciples mentored many, The list is not limited to these, and it can be endless. But, there were many gaps in mentorship when Bible history is traced. Such that becomes obvious in the case of Joshua who took leadership after Moses. Maybe one can argue that his gaps led to the many chaoses noted in the book of Judges.

What about the mentorship gap in the life of Samuel the great prophet? His failure in mentoring his own sons was a ground of argument for Israel to demand Kingship. The mentorship of Elisha over Gehazi was truncated! 

Similarly, the mentorship of Elijah over a young man was truncated, but he (Elijah) later found Elisha. But, in the case of Gehazi, there was no replacement and Elisha went to the grave with all his anointing!

The point is, mentorship is a determined relationship with those who providence has brought our path. We are not successful if this critical aspect of life is ignored.

Personally, I think this is where nigeria and the entire Africa got it wrong, the lack of successor or lack of mentoring someone that will take over in continuity and achieved the set long term goal of building a virile and secured society. Is what we are seeing today, failure in governance and failed leaders. 

African leaders are not planning or ready to mentor followers that will take over from them because they want to die there, they want to become strong leader, thereby building weak system that will enable them to stay as long as they wanted. This created leadership crisis.

My advice to everybody is that, if you are at the top, make an effort to lovingly mentor someone. Generations will remember you for it!

Source: J. O. Oguntuase (March 2019).