Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Do gadgets help you network or mentor? part II

Mentoring needs all the tools we can find. People, gadgets, books, websites, ideas, opinions, mistakes, challenges.... there is room for it all. But especially the gadgets.

1 - If you're learning and keeping your mind active, you're probably a better mentor for it.
2 - It's something your mentoree can possibly teach you.
3 - You can't really discuss building community if you haven't at least tried to use the tools.
3 - You can mentor with fewer borders and boundaries.
4 - You can share more information - things that exist outside what you directly remember or have learned.
5 - You can explore more information with your mentoree.

Bakers don't only use one cookbook. Carpenters don't own only one hammer. Writers have more than one notebook and pencil.

Gadgets aren't just for IT geeks - they are for everyone. They are as ubiquitous as the telephone, as helpful as the big saddlebag/purse we need to carry it all and as stimulating as the conversations they enable.

I'm not suggesting you text while talking or blow the grocery budget on the iPad. Good mentoring goes beyond the one/one conversation to a mutual exploration of the world around us. What better entry point than the gadgets that are changing our perceptions of what that world could be?

1 comment:

Christine said...

You have certainly proved it to me that mentoring is not only in one on one meetings and tea chats, but by responding to the many emails I send you and providing me encouragement and support. Thank you. Way To Go Gadget Lady!!