There is nothing like a story with Greek gods and goddesses. In Greek mythology, it is said that the Goddess Athena leaped from the head of Zeus as a full grown adult. According to Wikipedia, she is the goddess of “wisdom, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, female arts, crafts, justice and skill.”
In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, when King Odysseus left Ithaca to fight in the Trojan War, he left his friend, Mentor in charge of his young son Telemachus. Long after the 10-year war ended, King Odysseus hadn’t returned home and his family wondered what had become of him. Most presumed that he was dead. Being very wise, the Goddess Athena knew all about the difficulties plaguing King Odysseus’s long journey home that prevented him from returning to his son and wife Penelope.
The goddess disguised herself as Mentor and encouraged Telemachus, who was now a young man, to go in search of his father. Throughout The Odyssey, you see the Goddess Athena acting as a mentor to both Telemachus and his dad King Odysseus – she both guided and protected them. It is believed that this is where the idea of “Mentor” originated.
Many of the most successful people attained their success because of the mentors they had in their lives. Mentorship is such an important concept that both fictional and non-fictional people have had mentors. For instance, Aristotle mentored Alexander the Great, Bach mentored Mozart, Freddie Laker mentored Sir Richard Branson, Roger Corman mentored Martin Scorcese and Ron Howard among many others, and Eddy Merckx mentored Lance Armstrong.
The Canadian Women in Communications has a mentoring program because they recognize the importance of mentorship to personal and professional success. And I’m sure that the Goddess Athena would agree with them.
What do you have to add to the conversation? Have you had a great mentoring relationship? Please write your comment in the box below.
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