MENTORING AND MANAGEMENT AND ITS RELATIVITY WITH INDIAN
MYTHOLOGY

The word mentor has its origin in Greek mythology. The king Ithaca of Odysseus went to fight Trojan War and before leaving for war, he entrusted his son’s education to a good friend, counselor and mentor who made the king’s son a competent person through his mentoring process.

As far as INDIA is concerned, mentoring commenced thousands of years ago in the form and style of Master (Teacher) and disciple relationship- an ancient concept of education wherein the disciple imbibed knowledge by living with the master (teacher). It is not like a business/commercial myth of present day, but an ancient Indian mythology,

The concept of mentoring relates to mental and emotional support extended usually by an elderly person to younger ones (not necessarily always) called a protege and the elderly person should be worth to be admired and trusted by the protege and such elderly person is called mentor and this relationship and process is known as mentoring. It is a supportive learning relationship between a caring person who shares his knowledge, experience and wisdom to another person who is willing and ready to benefit from it. The mentor helps to develop a greater sense of competence and identify the effectiveness in a professional manner and it benefits both, particularly younger ones, as they learn from the mentor as to how to live successful. Purposeful and responsible life. They get opportunities to resolve conflicts, understand and accept responsibilities, identify to set goals and achieve. The mentor in turn is satisfied of having played his role effectively and appropriately in mentoring peoples life and living.

Now let us view mentoring from the point of view of management.

Human resources is the most active, decisive and vital factor for any business organization. It helps optimizing resources of the organization without compromising in enhancing the production, efficiency and quality apart from maintenance, is also directly influenced by the dedication and involvement. Human resources play an important role in an organization for the benefit and betterment of the organization and its employees. It is therefore very essential that in todays technologically and intelligently knowledge driven scenario, an organization build up efficient and effective human resources by judicious application of relevant criterion. While counseling, orientation, training, indoctrination and mentoring are some of the potent and result bearing criterions in human resources developments, we will for the present concentrate on mentoring. This helps to mould and bind employees to the desired organizational work apart from making them have allegiance to the organization and espirit de corps amongst employees.

Mentoring process will assist youngsters to resolve or cope-up with all situations and becomes more effective. Youngsters develop positively in the company of those whom they praise and admire say for instance their bosses and colleagues at work who support and guide them. This type of relationship is known as mentoring. Mentoring concentrates on general development and psychological well being of persons apart from encouraging in performance analysis and identification of scope for enhanced improvement. Mentoring is considered to be an important aspect for an organization, as it helps to attract and retain talent a sine qua non for growth and success of an organization. Human resources is the essence of the knowledge economy and with uninterrupted increase in demand for highly skilled man power, the organization faces never ending pressure to attract, retain, inspire and motivate the best of talents and mentoring therefore plays a vital role on this. The top most executives of any organization will admit and admire, and will reveal the truth that mentoring is the organization’s high level of attention for expansion, growth, profitability and success.

Please note that employees of an organization are the real brand image and it is really a great challenge to retain this real brand images. These brand images can even be described as Star Performers. The present day’s star performers are in rat race for higher pay and instead of patiently waiting for career building opportunities and its only by mentoring the youngsters and star performers can be put to the right track of growth and success. Employers of the organization are required to take special note that the satisfied employees are the true brand ambassadors of their organization who shapes up the organization’s image and this could by and large be achieved through mentoring. Mentor also initiates to inculcate belongingness to the organization and thereby making employees motivated and inspired and makes them attached and dedicated to the organization. Which helps self-development, professional efficiency and acumen of the employees.

As per Hindu (Indian) mythology let’s go through the mentoring process and effects achieved and lessons to be learned from the process and effects. The most successful mentoring relationship is the one between Lord Krishna and Arjuna. There were numerous occasion when Arjuna got confused, depressed and was in deep dilemma the Lord Krishna came to the rescue of Arjuna reminding Arjuna of his righteous duties and obligation to perform without urging for the results of Arjuna’s action. Today many people are in the similar situation at different occasions and circumstances, at confused state of mind and dilemma, and are indeed in the need for an effective and real mentor to come to our rescue and help us out to find solutions as lord Krishna has done to Arjuna. What Lord Krishna has done to Arjuna is nothing but true and effective mentoring. When you compare Lord Krishna ‘s mentoring role to Arjuna in terms of today’s corporate scenario, you need to have a mentor with qualities like a leader, manager, negotiator, performer manipulator, motivator, inspirator and influencer all rolled into one (to be judiciously applied at the appropriate and needy occasion). Arjuna, when caught in the web of worldly relationships, attachments and sensitiveness and not able to move at all, its Lord Krishna through his mentoring process helped him to come out of the obstacles in the right manner. And at last the lord taught Arjuna – Seek not fruit of your action, but perform your duty in this world and dedicate it to me. It means nothing but, when your duty performed righteously ends, my action begins for a good end. There are so many instances to mention from the Indian mythology on effective and result oriented mentoring process and its effects but will take very long pages to present-hence taken from the prime and Holy Scripture Bhagavad-Gita.

At this right stage it reminds me to refer to appropriate Chapter IV verse 34 of Bhagavad-Gita, which conveys that a realized and true master imparts all sanctifying and significant wisdom. Understand this truth and surrender yourself to that master and render your services to the master who has realized the truth and will part with the wisdom to you. This applies more to the present corporate and management sectors wherein you find more of restless, confused and frustrated people with dilemma, dragging with their performance.

J.KANNAN