The mentor is the message
Why the method used to train interns is important, but the mentor even more.
Marshall McLuhan famously said, "the medium is the message," meaning that the form through which a message is delivered is just as important as the message itself. This concept applies perfectly to internship mentoring. It’s not just about the content you deliver to interns but how you deliver it that shapes their learning experience and development. The mentor, in this case, is the medium, and their approach, personality, and method of engagement profoundly influence the intern’s journey.
When it comes to mentoring interns, there are a thousand and one methods and techniques to ensure that the student feels comfortable, receives knowledge in the right way, and can responsibly navigate the workplace. These methods are like a Swiss Army knife, with some clever tool for every situation. I often recommend a trusty set of approaches like the ‘WISH’ methodology, ‘Objective Key Results,’ ‘Scaffolding,’ and ‘Situational Leadership.’
These approaches are designed to help mentors squeeze more value out of an internship—for both the student and the company—without turning the mentor’s role into a Sisyphean task or requiring them to earn a degree in pedagogy or psychology.
Works like a charm, every time.
However, amidst all these methods, there’s a constant, an unwavering factor that determines whether any approach will succeed or (sometimes spectacularly) fail. What is this constant?
The mentor themselves.
Think of mentoring as a football match. The mentor is the seasoned veteran player, guiding the intern through the game, setting the pace, making crucial passes, and ensuring the team works together smoothly. The techniques are the playbook, the strategies designed to win the match, good communication, but without a skilled player on the field, even the best strategies can fail miserably.
Internship guidance is not just about transferring knowledge; it's about creating a connection. The mentor doesn’t just employ methods—they embody them. They are the living, breathing example of the process, the star player whose intuition and expertise make the difference between victory and defeat.
So, while methods like ‘WISH’ and ‘Scaffolding’ are valuable, they are only as effective as the person using them. It’s like having a brilliant playbook—without a skilled player, you won’t win the game. The mentor’s ability to adapt, to read the intern’s needs, and to respond accordingly is what truly makes an internship successful.
In essence, the mentor IS the method. Mentors are the star player, the linchpin, the heart of the internship experience. Sure, tools and techniques are important, it’s the mentor’s personal touch that turns an ordinary internship into an extraordinary journey.
So, coming full circle to McLuhan’s insight, the mentor, as the medium, profoundly shapes the message. It’s their presence, their way of delivering the learning experience, that ultimately determines the impact on the intern.
The medium is indeed the message.