Membership Corner: 3 Reasons You Should Be a Mentor
Communicator
April 2016, Volume 39, Issue 8
To be successful in any field, aspiring leaders need role models, critical advice, and guidance. Novice principals are increasingly feeling the pressure of leading the change process, developing a successful school, or transforming a failing school without support that is relevant and attainable. That is why all principals entering the profession should be provided support that includes high quality mentoring. Let’s face it, the principalship can be a lonely job, and having the right connections and support early on can make the difference between someone thriving or leaving the professional altogether.
At some point in your career as an experienced principal, you might have considered becoming a mentor, but dismissed the idea, thinking it would not be worth your time and energy. It’s time to rethink that decision; being a mentor is more important than ever. You will get more out of the relationship than you think by developing another leader through thoughtful discussions about effective principal practices. As an NAESP member, you can lend your expertise to an up-and-coming principal, and receive a significant pricing advantage through NAESP’s renowned mentor program.
What Does a Mentor Do?
A mentor enables protégés through a process of sharing knowledge and facilitating personal and professional growth. While the primary intent is for mentors to lend their support and challenge protégés to think in new and different ways, mentors benefit, as well. Mentoring will help you:
- Enhance your skills. The experience you gain by mentoring someone can facilitate your own professional growth, making you more of an asset to your district.
- Develop and retain talent in the field. By priming promising principals to become top-performers in their schools and providing them with the challenges, support, and commitment needed to keep them in the field, your mentoring efforts effectively help to address the growing number of principals leaving the profession within the first five years.
- Create a legacy. By becoming a mentor, you create a legacy that has a lasting impact on your protégé and the educational leadership profession. Not only will you gain the satisfaction of helping to develop future leaders, the knowledge that you foster in your protégé can inspire new ideas for generations to come.
Mentoring can be a rewarding experience, but becoming a mentor is a big decision that should not be taken lightly. However, the benefits to you, your school, your district, and the education profession as a whole are worth your effort.
Register here for upcoming NAESP mentor training session, and check out the significant pricing advantages available to NAESP members.
For more information about member discounts on NAESP’s programs or services, contact Monique Talbot, director of membership, at mtalbot@naesp.org.
—
Copyright © 2016. National Association of Elementary School Principals. No part of the articles in NAESP magazines, newsletters, or website may be reproduced in any medium without the permission of the National Association of Elementary School Principals. For more information, view NAESP’s reprint policy.