Mentorship is not about teaching someone to do things the way you do them. It’s about helping them discover their own voice. It’s about teaching tools they can use for their own growth.
Let’s Revisit an Old House
Imagine a friend who inherited their parents’ house built in the 1980s. You remember visiting this house as a child when it felt like an inviting home with toys, games, and most importantly, your friend. Visiting your friend’s house was always more exciting than staying at home and you remember this house fondly.
You return to it twenty years later. The parents have passed away and your friend must decide whether to sell it or keep it. When you walk in, you see it for the first time through modern eyes.
The wood paneling makes the rooms look dark and small. It’s hard to imagine kids playing games on the worn and matted carpeting. The low ceilings make it feel cramped and you instinctively duck while passing through each doorway. The windows are small and sealed shut with layers of cracked and peeling paint, preventing fresh air from circulating through the house. Regardless of whether they will be selling or inhabiting the house, this place clearly needs some work.
Renovation Time! How Can You Help?
Your friend decides to move in while renovating it at the same time. The house has sentimental value and a lifetime of memories. They can’t imagine anyone else buying the house just to change it into something unrecognizable. Your friend is handy and can do most of the interior facelift themselves.
First, Protect
When it comes time to do some heavy lifting, you are there to help. You help hang dust barriers and lay down protective sheets to cover the raw subfloor. These efforts make sure the livable space is protected from the dust and debris of the renovation.
This physical protection is critical for your friend to live comfortably in the primary space of the house, just as it’s critical for your admin person to protect their primary duties as they learn new skills. You don’t need to block and tackle the dust yourself, you just need to help them define their boundaries and place protective barriers. This is the first step in bracing the house.
Next, Support
When it comes time to do some major renovation you can help your friend in two ways. You can physically construct the new space with your friend or you can give them the resources to hire a contractor. Physically building with your friend is the equivalent to directly mentoring your admin. If you have the time and experience, you may enjoy this hands-on work. It can be difficult at times, but is immensely rewarding. It gives you the opportunity to customize the house and ensure the house is properly supported while new structures are built.
If you don’t have the time, skills or experience to put in, you can help your friend hire someone who does. Through your network you could refer a good home renovator to your friend. You may help fund the effort, or simply help them connect. Whether you physically help your friend build or you provide the resources for them to hire a contractor, you’ve reinforced their efforts and accelerated the improvement of the house.
Now, Let’s Get Back to Business
Even when you don’t directly provide the mentorship, supporting the effort and bracing their house are just as important. Whether you provide direct mentors within your company or help your admin find outside resources, you play an important role in bracing their Adminnovate Model House.
