Through a glass eye your throne Is the one danger zone, take me to the pilot for control (Elton John)

Photo by Jessica Da Rosa on Unsplash

Being a mentor and/or having a mentor is a fundamental part of teaching, leading a school..actually - leading a fulfilling life!

I've had this article from 'TED ideas' in my bookmarks for a while: looking at the five types of mentors you need in your life, Time to trot it out.

Mentor #1: The master of craft

If you want to be the best teacher, Principal, Head of Department...ask yourself, 'Who are the most iconic figures in that area that you have access to? This person can function as your personal Jedi master, someone who’s accumulated their wisdom through years of experience and who can provide insight and fine-tune your skills. As a Principal I often reach out to fellow Principals for advice. In my current position I'm part of a network of ten other Campus Principals. Three of them are my sounding boards for advice when I've needed it.

Mentor #2: The champion of your cause

This mentor is someone who has your back, who will talk you up to others, and it’s important to have one of these in your current workplace. Of those ten colleagues, Jim Seumanu would be my go to guy here.

Mentor #3: The co-pilot

Another name for this type: Your best work bud. The co-pilot is the colleague who can listen to you vent over coffee. This kind of mentoring relationship is best when it’s close to equally reciprocal. Sadly, the role of Principal doesn't lend itself to this one easily. Actually my wife is both my co-pilot and my anchor (as outlined below). 

Mentor #4: The anchor

This person doesn’t have to work in education — in fact, it could be a friend or family member (Jacky is both). While your champion supports you to achieve specific career goals, your anchor is a confidante and a sounding board. Because the anchor is keeping your overall best interests in mind, they can be particularly insightful when it comes to setting priorities, achieving work-life balance, and not losing sight of your values.

Mentor #5: The reverse mentor

Pay attention to learning from the people you’re mentoring, even though they may have fewer years in the workplace than you. I've definitely learnt a lot from my colleagues over the years.

Well, that was fun. Have a go yourself, if you think you are clever enough.