The Power and Pitfalls of Gender-Specific Mentorship
Maj. Kristyn Felix
Maj. Ebony Thomas
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Mentorship is a critical investment tool that should be used to cultivate the strength and diversity of the Army. To sustain the talent of a workforce, organizations invest in their people through formal and informal mentorship. The Army thrives because of its diversity of talent, and mentorship is critical to ensure diverse leaders within the ranks.
The Army defines mentorship as “a voluntary and developmental relationship that exists between a person with greater experience and a person with less experience, characterized by mutual trust and respect.†Successful and experienced military leaders take time to personally develop subordinate leaders to ensure the next generation of leaders is ready.
Mentorship is not based on gender, but on experience and skills. This implies that mentorship is a tool that should be used for development that promotes continuity of an institution and values that transcend differences of gender, race and national origin.
https://www.ausa.org/articles/power-and-pitfalls-gender-specific-mentorship
