Connecting: The Mentoring Relationships You Need To Succeed In Life

Rating:
Summary: A Good Analytical Book on Mentoring from a Christian Perspec
Review: Connecting: The Mentoring Relationships You Need to Succeed in Life, by Paul D. Stanley and J. Robert Clinton, Colorado Springs, Navpress, 1992, 252 pages. Reviewed by J. L. Lee

Paul Stanley has over twenty years experience in leadership development. He has served as the international vice-president of the Navigators. His ministry has taken him to a variety of international locations where he has done both leadership training and consulting.

Dr. Robert Clinton has served on the faculty of the Fuller Theological Seminary as an associate professor of leadership for the school of world mission. He has completed extensive research in the field of leadership and specializes in leadership training, selection, and emergence patterns.

The thesis of this book is to show leaders a method they may use to "finish well." That method is to use mentoring as a leadership tool. The authors define the tool of mentoring in relationship terms as an experience where one person empowers another using divinely provided resources. The authors also clearly state the four objectives of the book on page 13.

1.)"How to be mentored even though there aren't enough mentors to go around"
2.)"An explanation of what makes mentoring work"
3.)"A balanced model of mentoring relationships"
4.)"Illustrations and ideas on how mentoring can work for you"

They answer the first objective in the first ten chapters of the book. This is accomplished by breaking down the task of mentoring into seven functions, Discipler, Spiritual Guide, Coach, Counselor, Teacher, Sponsor and Model. Model is further sub-divided into Contemporary and Historical Models. The first three mentoring functions are grouped together under the supra heading of Intensive Mentoring. The fourth through sixth functions are likewise grouped under the heading Occasional Mentoring. The two sub-types of models are considered under the heading Passive Mentoring.
The authors also define three essential dynamics of the mentoring process as Attraction, Responsiveness, and Accountability. These three dynamics are of greater importance in the more intensive types of mentoring. The three dynamics also address the second objective of the book, "what makes mentoring work."
The introduction of the seven mentoring functions and the three dynamics begins in chapter two, especially pages 41-45, and form the backbone of this book upon which most of the rest is expansion and elaboration. Chapter 11, especially pages 161-168, describes what the authors term the "Constellation Model" of mentoring. This model attempts to set forward a framework for the seven functions of mentoring detailed in chapters 3-10. This Constellation Model is defined in images of upward mentoring, downward mentoring, and peer co-mentoring. The peer co-mentoring is further described as either external (outside your organization) or internal (inside your organization). Peer co-mentoring is also described in terms of "close buddy", friend and acquaintance.
The fourth objective of the book is met throughout the book in the numerous illustrations and tidbit ideas for practical application of the mentoring concepts presented. This reviewer found chapters 13 and 14 to be especially helpful in meeting this objective. Chapter 13 listed "Ten Commandments of Mentoring" as well as insights from the mistakes, which the authors have made in mentoring. Chapter 14 presented five characteristics of leaders who finish well.
The book closes with an appendix that describes four principles of adult learning. The appendix is followed by a section of notes from the text. This section in turn is followed by a list of references cited in the text and an annotated bibliography.

Chapters three through ten form the core of the book and develop the material about the seven different functions of a mentor. These can also be understood to be seven different types of mentors.
Chapter three begins this section with a discussion of the Discipler Mentor. The chapter is descriptive and presents the basic growth habits of discipleship and a section of "hints for discipleship mentoring" that apply to both the disciple and the discipler. This chapter does not conclude with a chapter summary.
The second type of intensive mentoring, the spiritual guide, is described in chapter four. Again this chapter is descriptive with the major definitions being easily recognizable in boldface type font. This chapter delineates the functions of a spiritual guide and also gives a means of determining the need for a spiritual guide. It also does not conclude with a chapter summary.
Chapter five concludes the intensive mentoring functions with a development of the role of a coach. This chapter offers the mentoring dynamics, functions, and hints for the coach.
The idea of occasional mentoring is introduced in detail in chapter six with a discussion of the counselor mentor. Of special interest are the eight major empowerment functions of the counselor mentor as well as a section on hints for the counselor.
Occasional mentoring continues into chapter seven when the teacher is described as a mentor. Hints for the teacher-mentor and a section of tips to turn your teaching into mentoring are key sections of this chapter.
Occasional mentoring concludes in chapter eight when the sponsor is described. The sponsor functions and empowerment together with the practical hints on sponsor mentoring are useful listings. It's interesting that this chapter together with chapters five and ten are the only chapters dealing with the seven types of mentoring that offer chapter summaries at their conclusion. Several of the chapters do conclude with a section titled for further study. Chapters nine and ten take up the concept of passive mentoring by describing the role of first the contemporary model and then the historical model in the two chapters respectively.
As noted above, the heart of the book is found in chapters three through ten and each of these chapters in turn addresses the stated thesis of the book which is to present a method which leaders may use to finish well. While the concept of finishing well is not specifically addressed in great detail within the core of the book, in fact it is addressed most significantly in the final chapter, the methods presented in the core build up to and support the conclusion of the book with this thesis.
The book is very systematic and analytical in presenting a theory of mentoring. The structure appears easy to discern and the descriptive material tends to hold the reader's interest. It is a relatively easy read that seems to accomplish the purpose well which the authors set forth for it. This reviewer would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject of mentoring.

Rating:
Summary: Connecting is difficult, Here is a better way
Review: Mentoring is so important in the world today. Having a mentor, as this book details, helps people reach the next level in their careers. Mentoring is truly invaluable. A tough thing though is finding a mentor. Where does one look? Well now there is a place to both find a mentor and also be a mentor to share your knowledge. The site is Advance Mentoring, www.Advancementoring.com

You can search to find a mentor in any industry, or to be a mentor, or even both. Now the job of finding a mentor has gotten much easier. The site offers over a tremendous number of members from over 40 countries, so you are sure to find a mentor or a mentee. Good luck. http://www.advancementoring.com

Noah Cirincione, CEO
Advance Mentoring
http://www.advancementoring.com

Rating:
Summary: Connecting is difficult, Here is a better way
Review: Mentoring is so important in the world today. Having a mentor, as this book details, helps people reach the next level in their careers. Mentoring is truly invaluable. A tough thing though is finding a mentor. Where does one look? Well now there is a place to both find a mentor and also be a mentor to share your knowledge. The site is Advance Mentoring, www.Advancementoring.com

You can search to find a mentor in any industry, or to be a mentor, or even both. Now the job of finding a mentor has gotten much easier. The site offers over a tremendous number of members from over 40 countries, so you are sure to find a mentor or a mentee. Good luck. http://www.advancementoring.com

Noah Cirincione, CEO
Advance Mentoring
http://www.advancementoring.com

Rating:
Summary: Very practical with solid foundations
Review: Stanley and Clinton have written a very practical guide to developing mentoring relationships. By addressing several kinds of mentoring (from intentional discipleship to passive mentorship) they have digested sophisticated theory into reasonable methods. Throughout the book they also offer their own personal experiences as examples of the principles they wish to bring out, which adds a very readable flavor. At times the authors seem to treat the topic of relationships with a sterile pragmatism, which is my only complaint about the book. Perhaps Stanley and Clinton would do well to spend time reading Larry Crabb's book by the same name! Overrall, I appreciated this book and I am using some of the principles in my own ministry at Biola University.

Rating:
Summary: Attention all Church Leaders: Especially Pastors
Review: This book is for you!

We never grow to the point that we can walk totally alone. All of us need godly mentors in life. The problem is that as we grow, godly mentors become harder to find. This book addresses the problem.

We all have a responsibility to those coming after us. A first grader who teaches his or her younger sibling to spell a simple word has already stepped into the realm of mentoring. If we have this responsibility, we better learn to do it right. This book addresses that problem.

Rating:
Summary: Attention all Church Leaders: Especially Pastors
Review: This book is for you!

We never grow to the point that we can walk totally alone. All of us need godly mentors in life. The problem is that as we grow, godly mentors become harder to find. This book addresses the problem.

We all have a responsibility to those coming after us. A first grader who teaches his or her younger sibling to spell a simple word has already stepped into the realm of mentoring. If we have this responsibility, we better learn to do it right. This book addresses that problem.