| Each year organizations around the world spend | | | | recognize others' behaviors change as they change |
| billions of Dollars, Euros, and Yen, to train new | | | | theirs. The protégé is not likely to change |
| employees. Unfortunately, organizations lose billions | | | | the behavior of the mentor until they change their own |
| when they lose those people on whom they spent all | | | | behavior. Glenn (2003) quotes Mahatma Gandhi, "Be |
| that training time and money. There are | | | | the change you wish to see in the world" (pg. |
| well-documented reasons for this phenomenon and | | | | 110).Leader Communication/Leadership and |
| chief among them is lack of loyalty - organization to | | | | CommunicationRichmond and McCroskey (2001), |
| employee and employee to organization. There is no | | | | address organizational climate as it relates to |
| longer employment security - employment for life.A | | | | leadership. They state that organizations exist |
| 1997 figure on training costs for U. S. companies was | | | | somewhere, as part of a larger community and |
| in excess of 58 billion dollars. In September 2004, Chief | | | | leaders cannot ignore external conditions as external |
| Learning Officer e-zine reported U.S. companies spend | | | | conditions do influence events inside the office walls. |
| an average of $2,000.00 per year per employee for | | | | Organizations assume aspects of local culture and |
| training. The U. S. Department of Labor put | | | | local values as most employees come from within that |
| employment for September 2005 at slightly over 150 | | | | community. Leadership communication within any |
| million workers. At $2,000.00 per employee per year, | | | | organizational environment must be acceptable to be |
| training costs U. S. business $300 billion a year, almost | | | | accepted.People in organizations communicate with |
| a six-fold increase in eight years.Training in most | | | | the purpose of influencing others. Leadership |
| organizations is an abstract figure and accounting for | | | | communication in the mentoring/discipling process is |
| training expenses usually becomes lumped into other | | | | critical to successful growth of a protégé |
| expenses. Organizations recognize the need for | | | | and the entire workforce. Several myths of |
| training, allocate training money, and expense it. Training | | | | communication have to be broken for any |
| is an expense not an investment. However, the cycle | | | | mentor-protégé relationship success.- |
| of training for training sake is a trend reversing. | | | | Meanings of words are in people not in the words. |
| Executives want to margin their spending on training | | | | Adapt words to the experiences of the |
| with a training strategy to link individual capabilities with | | | | protégé.- Communication is not verbal only. |
| the organizations business strategy.Most companies | | | | Protégés react to how leaders state |
| that send employees to training or provide tuition | | | | something not necessarily what. Understand non-verbal |
| assistance for college degrees require some pay back | | | | cues.- Telling is not communication. Telling is passive |
| in time - one month per college credit hour for | | | | communication and becomes active when the telling |
| example. This does assure that training dollars spent | | | | receives an acknowledgement.- Communication does |
| stay in the company for a known period. However, | | | | not solve problems. Peter Senge (1990) tells us that |
| after that period a worker is no longer obliged to the | | | | today's problems exist resulting from yesterday's |
| organization and can sell talents to the highest | | | | solutions.- Communication, itself, is neither good nor bad. |
| bidder.Organizations often label training as training; | | | | Communication is a tool.- More communication is not |
| however, the idea stated above to link individual | | | | better. Better communication is better - quality not |
| capabilities into the business strategy suggests | | | | quantity.- Communication does not break down, "One |
| something more far reaching - mentoring. Spending | | | | cannot not communicate" (Richmond and McCroskey |
| billions of dollars on training does not necessarily make | | | | 2001, pg. 19).- People have natural ability; however, |
| a worker a better employee. Yet, linking mentoring and | | | | communication ability is learned.From the above points, |
| training, leaders become acutely aware of worker skill | | | | one can begin to observe leader/mentors need to |
| development.Beyond Training and MentoringThis begins | | | | have a communication style that fits into |
| the discussion on creating workers who are elevated | | | | protégés' situation and their experiences. |
| beyond just an employee. The next level beyond | | | | Growth of a person in an organization to fully buying |
| training and mentoring, seen by most as a Judeo | | | | into a vision and organizational value system comes |
| Christian concept, is discipling. Most agree that discipling | | | | from inclusion with the leader/mentor in decision-making |
| is a spiritual engagement. However, does discipling | | | | processes. Jablin and Putnam (2001), suggest |
| have a place in secular organizations?Initially, defining | | | | participative communication. With highly participative |
| disciple in secular terms is easy. A disciple is someone | | | | communication between leader and workers |
| who is a believer of or in organizational vision and | | | | protégés, high levels of problem-solving |
| values. A disciple helps spread the vision and values as | | | | communication results.One can argue that Herman |
| root doctrines of the organization. Webster's dictionary | | | | Cane, as former CEO of Godfather's Pizza, was a |
| (1913) defines disciple as, "One who receives instruction | | | | mentor to an entire organization. When he took over |
| from another; a scholar; a learner; especially, a follower | | | | Godfather's Pizza it was in trouble, had lost its focus |
| who has learned to believe in the truth of the doctrine | | | | trying to keep pace with other national and regional |
| of his teacher; an adherent in doctrine; as, the disciples | | | | pizza restaurants. Cane (2005) speaking at Regent |
| of Plato; the disciples of our Savior."That definition | | | | University Executive Leadership Series spoke of his |
| suggests more than mentoring. One facet of a disciple | | | | experience as CEO of a comeback company. First, he |
| is one who, when taught, accepts the teaching and | | | | had to learn why Godfather's Pizza was so |
| buys into the vision. Upon buy in, the new disciple | | | | successful at its opening and how it became |
| desires to share the learning and supreme | | | | unprofitable as it grew. Second, he learned the |
| commitment to the vision. Charlie Ragus, founder of | | | | organization lost its original vision and values. Third, |
| AdvoCare International, built a distributorship by having | | | | Cane related making an unpopular decision to eliminate |
| quality products, backed by science and medicine, with | | | | multiple pizzas from its menu returning to Godfather's |
| a simple approach to teaching duplicated repeatedly, | | | | roots.Cane (2005) gave his formula for making an |
| making AdvoCare disciples.Mentoring and discipling are | | | | organization profitable again; using R.O.I. Cane was |
| like connecting the dots. A mentor shows the | | | | specific that R.O.I. is not return on Investment. For |
| protégé a picture; however, the picture is | | | | Cane, R.O.I. is, "Remove barriers to Success. Obtain |
| just a bunch of numbered dots. The mentor can | | | | the right results by asking the right questions. Inspire |
| explain the picture and the protégé my | | | | (motivate)." This worked for the entire organization; |
| sense the completed picture from looking at the | | | | however, it could not have worked if Cane had not |
| pattern of dots. A mentor transfers knowledge of a | | | | mentored senior managers who, as his disciples, took |
| vision in describing the pattern or dots. Discipling occurs | | | | Cane's message throughout the |
| when the protégé begins to connect the | | | | organization.DiscussionLeaders in academics, religion, |
| dots. As the picture becomes clearer, the mentor and | | | | and business, offered a consensus that mentoring is |
| protégé relationship expands to one of | | | | guiding from the side. One discussion with a university |
| greater understanding. When the dots are all | | | | enrollment director resulted with a mentor role of |
| connected and the protégé sees the | | | | "making suggestions, positioning potential outcomes, |
| complete picture, transformation is underway.Consider | | | | encouraging critical thinking, while not disrupting a |
| another example, Champoux (2006), describes a | | | | constructivist process."Successful mentoring is allowing |
| process of organizational socialization that fits this | | | | light to reach the ground, allowing growth to a |
| position well. He begins by stating the new employee | | | | germinating protégé. A business leader |
| goes through a process of unfreezing, to leave behind | | | | suggested protégés must feel in charge of |
| parts of an old self-image. After accepting the | | | | the moment. In other words, the employee needs to |
| unfreezing, the worker goes through change. This | | | | own their successes and learn from their mistakes |
| change is mentored episodes of behavioral role | | | | without blame. Senge (1990) agrees that learning |
| development. When this learning process concludes, | | | | organizations must mentor from a position that does |
| the worker refreezes the new image. This new image | | | | not assign blame.Defining discipleship in business and |
| includes expected behaviors and norms of the | | | | academics resulted in mixed concepts. It became clear |
| organization. What the unfreezing, changing, and | | | | that in secular settings, disciple, discipling, and discipleship |
| refreezing describe is metamorphosis. Metamorphosis | | | | fall in a religious realm. One person feared discipling in |
| may be abrupt or occur over time. Discipling | | | | business thinking it was too much like cultism. Another |
| metamorphosis is a process taking time.A mentor with | | | | came close to secular discipleship understanding |
| discipling as a goal, by the above examples has | | | | relating a close-knit team with shared goals and |
| personal vision, ability to see potential in another. | | | | objectives coming from a greater and wiser source |
| However, this means a personal commitment of time | | | | than any of the participants. This is a view of synergy, |
| to intercede in another's professional growth. Both | | | | the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.A |
| mentor and protégé are encouraged to | | | | web seminar held October 18, 2005 at Bellevue |
| enter the relationship voluntarily or risk burdening each | | | | University, Bellevue Nebraska helped clarify mentoring |
| other.It is important for mentors and | | | | and discipling. Doctor Ike Shibley of Penn State Berks |
| protégés to recognize how discipling | | | | College presented a seminar on faculty growth and |
| occurs. O'Hair, et al (1998) offers these stages. The | | | | development. What he shared because of mentoring |
| first stage is initiation, the protégé | | | | has application to discipling. He said, "Mentees often |
| recognizes and appreciates the talents, and expertise | | | | report more career satisfaction, improved professional |
| the mentor brings to the relationship. Second, the | | | | identity, reduced job stress, and greater acceptance |
| protégé and mentor begin a process of | | | | within the organization. The organization gets more |
| interpersonal bonding. In this deepening relationship, they | | | | productive (personnel), decreased turnover, and more |
| begin sharing vision, values, and connecting personal | | | | committed (personnel)."Conclusion |
| goals and organizational goals. At some point the third | | | | RecommendationExtensive research data exists on |
| stage occurs, separation. The protégé or | | | | mentoring, and extensive research data exists on |
| the discipling mentor experiences a drifting apart. One | | | | discipling. However, limited data on organizational |
| or the other receives a promotion, become physically | | | | discipling is inconclusive in non-religious business. |
| separated, or the protégé is more | | | | Mentoring occurs in business and religious organizations |
| independent. The final, fourth stage is redefinition. Some | | | | and there is agreement that mentoring is the same in |
| event in the organizational life of the | | | | both. However, understanding discipleship in secular |
| protégé brings her/him back to the former | | | | organizations is difficult. The conclusion from this |
| mentor. They re-establish their relationship on different | | | | research is secular discipling exists when a mentor and |
| terms, not as mentor and | | | | protégé enter their relationship voluntarily |
| protégé.Therefore, leaders who disciple | | | | and over time the mentor transfers knowledge then |
| rather than mentor often behave like a parent. They | | | | vision and values to the protégé.Herman |
| correct a discrepancy, offering direction and | | | | Cane may be an example of an organizational mentor |
| suggestion, and praising a success - leaders who | | | | who also possesses inspirational charisma needed to |
| disciple do so with unconditional love.Love is a word | | | | overhaul a faltering organization. Leaders who want |
| avoided in most organizational settings. Love takes on | | | | success must recognize synergy comes from within |
| some kind of physical characteristic of sexual love; | | | | the organization. Leaders, as mentors, need to inspire |
| however, unconditional love is not physical, it is | | | | the work force by removing barriers to success and |
| self-sacrificing. Winston (2002) uses the Greek word | | | | ask the right questions (of the organization and |
| agapao. He makes the distinction by defining agapao | | | | individuals) to obtain the best |
| as "... to love in a social or moral sense, embracing the | | | | results.ReferencesAdvoCare International (2005). |
| judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a | | | | Policy, procedures, and the compensation plan. |
| matter of principle, duty, and propriety" (pg. 5).Winston | | | | Carrolton, TX. Retrieved October 23, 2005 from |
| (2002) does not end on love. He continues that leaders | | | | (February 3, 2004). Budgets set to soar as coaching |
| must respect all superiors, because someone is | | | | gains popularity. Personnel Today. Retrieved October |
| watching over them, and especially peers and | | | | 17, 2005 from C. R. (2002). Managers as Mentors: |
| subordinates. Leaders need humility to make disciples | | | | Building Partnerships for Learning (2nd Ed.). San |
| of others. Again Winston, "Humble leaders place the | | | | Francisco, CA: Berrett=Koehler Publishers, Inc.Cane, H. |
| goals of the organization above their own goals" (pg. | | | | (2005, September 15). Dynamics of Leadership. |
| 25). Leaders need to understand that people hurt, | | | | Lecture presented for the Regent University Executive |
| suffer loses, need rest from their toils and Winston | | | | Leadership Series. Regent University, Virginia Beach, |
| cites Augsburger (1982) who tells leaders to mourn | | | | VA.Champoux, J. E. (2006). Organizational Behavior: |
| (Greek penteo act or feeling of mourning having deep | | | | Integrating individuals, Groups and organizations (3rd |
| concern (pg. 29)) for their employees, to care for them, | | | | Ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.Glenn, J. L. |
| the organization, and even competitors.Mentoring and | | | | (2003). Mentor Me: A guide to being your own best |
| disciple making cannot occur in a vacuum or one | | | | advocate in the workplace. Reston, VA: National |
| directional. A protégé has to accept | | | | Business Education Association.Jablin, F. M. a. P., Linda |
| responsibility for and actively participate in the process. | | | | L. (Ed.). (2001). The New Handbook of Organizational |
| The next element of the process involves the | | | | Communication: Advances in theory, research, and |
| capacity for the protégé to accept | | | | methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. |
| mentoring and discipling.The ProtégéThe | | | | .Kunder, L. H. (1998). The Relationship Between |
| protégé is one who is willing to accept the | | | | Employees' Satisfaction With Training and Their |
| wisdom offered. Reiterating a point made earlier, the | | | | Perceptions of How Well Training Achieves |
| ideal relationship with the mentor is voluntary. Bell | | | | Established Elements of Effective Training in a Federal |
| (2002) asks us to imagine the new person entering the | | | | Agency. Unpublished dissertation. Virginia Polytechnic |
| learning experience telling the mentor, "I want to make | | | | Institute and State University.Moore, W. B. (June 1991). |
| my learning experience positive for us both."Glenn | | | | Qualities of a Disciple Maker. Mentoring, 11,2. Retrieved |
| (2003) writes of teaching a class in which she asked | | | | October 17, 2005 from D., Friedrich, G. W., Shaver, L. D. |
| students to give examples of a good mentor. Then | | | | (1998). Strategic Communication: In business and the |
| she asked the class to imagine using their examples to | | | | professions (3rd edition). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin |
| mentor themselves. She tells her readers to have a | | | | Company.R. Preston (personal communication October |
| dream and be able to tap themselves as their trusted | | | | 14, 2005) interview stressing his opinions on mentoring |
| guide. She continues by challenging that mentoring | | | | and discipling.Richmond, V. P. M., and James C. (2001). |
| ourselves leads us to opening our own greatness and | | | | Organizational Communication: Making work, work (2nd |
| releases us from our fears.For the new | | | | ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.Senge, P. M. (1990). |
| protégé, having a sense of social skill is | | | | The Fifth Discipline: The art & practice of the Learning |
| important. The protégé seeks out people | | | | Organization. New York, NY: Currency and |
| who influence them, who know them, like them, and | | | | Doubleday.U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor |
| respect them. In return, the protégé returns | | | | Statistics (September 2005). The Employment |
| the respect and amiability.Mentoring and discipling is like | | | | Situation: September 2005. Retrieved October 17, 2005 |
| a partnership and the protégé needs to | | | | from Ph.D., B (2002). Be a Leader for God's Sake. |