Preface

It takes only one match to light a forest fire.

Futurists believe that the intellectual capital of an organization will be its most important competitive weapon in the next century. They're wrong. It already is. Trained, knowledgeable people are the key ingredients for success. Conventional approaches to learning, such as classroom training, are giving way to alternative learning approaches such as mentoring and peer learning. Research shows conclusively that when people take responsibility for their own learning, retention is higher, application increases, and costs are lower. "Ownership" is typically not part of conventional training programs.

An effective mentoring program matches the needs and expectations of a prot g s with an expertise of a mentor. Both require training, encouragement, incentives, and tools. The Portable Mentor is designed to be one of those tools of development. It focuses on non-technical skills. It is meant for anyone who does not have a mentor — the great majority of individuals in the workplace. Moreover, since no mentor has answers to all the questions that prot g s might ask, this quick reference guide will also help prot g s to be more self-sufficient by giving them a tool to assist them in finding their own solutions. In this way prot g s can gradually wean themselves from their mentors — the ultimate measure of success.

The Portable Mentor is a collection of conventional wisdom that I, as a mentor to many people over the last quarter century, have been asked to provide. It will enable you to take more responsibility for your own growth and career — and success.