To Be Or Not To Be A Mentor

You will be surprised to know the origin of the word ‘mentor’. ‘Mentor’ was a character depicted in Homer’s Odessey. He played a role of guiding other people to reach their goals. A mentor surely needs to be the epitome of wisdom and guidance. But in today’s context, is wisdom and leadership enough to make one a good mentor? So, what does it take to be a good mentor? The perspective based on my lived experiences goes like this- a mentor needs to be a human before anything else. I know this phrase sounds cliché, but it is true! As a graduate student, I experienced two mentors who were polar opposites of each other. My first mentor had prestigious publications, a new lab with exciting research questions, and a group of excited students waiting to kick off the projects. I had everything one may need to start a scientific career, yet I was miserable in that lab. The lab environment was filled with micromanagement, constant disparagement, and scrutiny.