My Mentorship Journey
When I started my mentorship journey, I entered the programme with goals, dreams and expectations for my personal and professional growth. I had a clear idea of what I wanted to achieve, and like many people I believed that having a mentor meant having someone who understood my career path and could guide me within my specific field. Interestingly, I thought my mentor would be someone from the Claims Department, someone who understood the challenges of my day-to-day work and could help me navigate my career within the insurance industry. I soon realised that I was looking at mentorship from a very narrow perspective.
A mentor does not necessarily have to work in the same department or even industry as you. A mentor can be anyone who has the wisdom, experience, willingness and heart to guide you, challenge you and help you see possibilities beyond what you currently see for yourself.
My mentorship journey was not without challenges. During the programme I experienced one of the most difficult moments of my life when I lost my mother. Losing her affected me deeply and, for a period, it became difficult to focus on my goals, my growth and the future I had envisioned for myself. I felt as though I had been knocked off the path I had worked so hard to build.
However, my mentor stood by me during this difficult season. Through the tools, support and guidance He provided I was encouraged to take a step back reflect, and eventually find my way forward again. He reminded me that setbacks do not have to define the end of our journey. Sometimes, we have to pause, reassess, and find the strength to rise again.
What I appreciate most about my mentor is his selflessness. He has been willing to go the extra mile to ensure that I am equipped to reach my goals and meet the expectations I have set for myself. He did not simply tell me what to do, He gave me tools, asked the right questions, challenged my thinking and encouraged me to take ownership of my journey.
Through this experience, I have learned that mentorship is not about having someone who has all the answers. It is about having someone who is willing to walk alongside you share their knowledge, offer perspective and help you discover the answers within yourself. Above all, I am grateful that through the challenges I found the strength to rise again.
Two Sides of the Mentorship Coin
Five years ago, I was a mentee on the Roots and Wings programme. Given the role mentorship has played in my own journey, becoming a mentor this year felt like a true full-circle moment. My first mentee is Bonolo, and getting to know her and watching her grow has been one of the highlights of my year.
From day one, I had a plan for what I wanted to teach her. I quickly learned, however, that Bonolo would show me what she needed from me at different points in our journey. As a first-time mentor, my imposter syndrome made me feel that I needed to prove I could be a good mentor. Instead, approaching our sessions with an open heart and mind taught me that mentorship is as much about learning as it is about teaching.
Bonolo has also taught me a different kind of strength: being vulnerable without allowing vulnerability to define what you are capable of. Despite significant personal challenges and responsibilities, she continued to show up with openness and a willingness to grow. She was initially uncertain about having a mentor from a completely different discipline, but rather than allowing that to become a barrier, she embraced the process and every challenge I put before her.
“Mentorship isn’t about teaching someone how to show up in the world. It’s about helping them shape how the world shows up for them.”
As the programme draws to a close, I’m reminded that mentorship isn’t a one-way exchange. Bonolo may have been my first mentee, but she has undoubtedly been one of my teachers too.
