Mentor has vide connotation in the present day, as the professional and personal realm has in store, many areas of interest i.e. the options in hand has multiplied over the years and needs judicious judgment. The clarity of pursuit of any individual is a matter which needs to be fine-tuned so as to be in the chase for fulfillment of the intended purpose. It is this pursuit which necessitates the influence of a Mentor, though some are self-driven to achieve their objectives without faltering to external influences

Conceptually a Mentor symbolizes the guide who influences the thinking process and actions of people associating with them either as a disciple or follower. The mentor being a guide ought or perceived to have quality and skills which keeps the follower or disciple under their tutelage. The life of the mentor need to have a positive impact on them and thus a bond shall evolve. This bond manifests in the synchronization of the relation both emotionally and spiritually. The bond should mature enough for the follower to get directions even in the absence of the mentor or rather when not physically present. So one’s conscience should judge the process and get guided from that.

Mentor .… the term is qualified to describe a person who has emotional balance, lucid knowledge on the subjects being dealt, values of life and predominantly one who walks the talk. Mentor is constantly being looked upon by the follower to inspire and get enthused. Hence the mentor is required to maintain high energy levels.

The Mentor - disciple combination has revolutionized various fields of thought which were worth emulating and following. The mentors in various fields havemolded personalities of high scholarship. The classic Ramakrishna Paramahamsa - Vivekananda combination is a wonderful example which was an epoch in formulating a school of thought, which has influenced millions of people worldwide for peaceful co-existence and harmony. Ramakrishna was instrumental in sparking the thought process of Vivekananda thru his teachings and the latter rose to international acclaim by his thought provoking lectures and lending to self realization of individuals and march towards progress. In a life which was very short, he could widely propagate the teachings of Ramakrishna far and wide in the world .It is indeed ironical that Vivekananda had indeed a sizeable follower base from the West compared to his countrymen. Ramakrishna was considered a true mentor of Vivekananda, which the latter always used to express in his speeches. The vision of Ramakrishna was carried in true spirit by Vivekananda who always was inspired by the thought of his mentor, the back-born principle of mentor ship.

Mentor essentially has to influence the transformation process of his disciple or follower. .Jesus was an ideal example of a mentor,the role which he effectively utilized to transform generations of people. Jesus’life exemplified all the great qualities found in the best leaders,the best friends,and the most loving people.He ensured transformation of those who sought him to live a life,the best way possible with the aforesaid values,he represented.To be precise,His Life was His message.

Yet another classic mentor ship is Krishna motivating the grief stricken Arjuna in Kurukshetra war. Arjuna broke down seeing his Guru and family lined up in the war and Krishna successfully exhorted Arjuna by deciphering “Gita” which encapsulates life principles and thus Arjuna sprang back to fight the war to safeguard Justice.

To summarize the concept of mentorship :-

1. The best mentoring is “organic,” meaning personal and relational

2. Do not attempt to impose your “mentoring” onto another person. Your mentoring will work best if it is at their invitation. So, intentionally build relationships that place you where people can easily and naturally turn to you when they are ready.

3. Make yourself available to people in your orbit, people who you already know.

4. Wish that you have the eyes to see possible mentees. Watch for persons you have some affinity with (similar gifts and interest). Watch for persons with “teachable spirits,” not the ones who “know all the answers.”

5. Do not add “another item to your busy schedule.” As a potential mentoring relationship develops naturally, you will not need to “add it.” It will already be there in the ordinary rhythms of your life and theirs.

6. Resist the temptation to be controlling. Outcomes are not yours. Rather, listen to each person and be transparent with him or her.