Very interesting- Can you offer an example of what the cultural differences might look like that mentors would need to navigate? Like are there differences in communication, or what respect looks like?
Thank you for your comment Matthew. That is a good question that you pose. Respect is a great example of potential cultural differences. In general, formally respecting elders is still a big issue culturally in most of Africa. However, there is now an increasing flexibility in professional settings with others not following it anymore.
In a Mentor-Mentee relationship, if the mentor is much older, he or she may not appreciate being called by their first name by someone who is young enough to be their son or daughter, for example, as it would come across as being disrespectful. However, others may not mind. Such kinds of boundaries must be clarified in the initial meeting as the mentor and mentee structure the Mentorship agreement.
Very interesting- Can you offer an example of what the cultural differences might look like that mentors would need to navigate? Like are there differences in communication, or what respect looks like?
Thank you for your comment Matthew. That is a good question that you pose. Respect is a great example of potential cultural differences. In general, formally respecting elders is still a big issue culturally in most of Africa. However, there is now an increasing flexibility in professional settings with others not following it anymore.
In a Mentor-Mentee relationship, if the mentor is much older, he or she may not appreciate being called by their first name by someone who is young enough to be their son or daughter, for example, as it would come across as being disrespectful. However, others may not mind. Such kinds of boundaries must be clarified in the initial meeting as the mentor and mentee structure the Mentorship agreement.
Thank you for replying- that is a really helpful example.