The Intern<\/a><\/em>. It was great.<\/p>\nThe Story<\/h3>\n
De Niro\u2019s character, Ben Whittaker, is a seventy-year-old, retired executive whose wife has died. He is bored and feeling stir crazy. He\u2019s lost his sense of purpose and desperately needs something to do.<\/p>\n
Through an internship program for senior citizens, he begins working with Anne Hathaway\u2019s character, Jules Ostin, a young wife, mother, and founder of a online startup called About the Fit that is growing faster than anyone expected.<\/p>\n
The problem is that Jules\u2019 investors don\u2019t think she has enough experience to run the company. This creates tremendous self-doubt for Jules. She wonders if she has what it takes. This is amplified at home, where she struggles to meet the needs of her stay-at-home husband and her young daughter.<\/p>\n
This is where Ben comes in. He\u2019s impressed by Jules and really believes in her. He gives her a plan: Don\u2019t cave to the investors. Instead, she should trust herself and her instincts. Ben\u2019s experienced and kind involvement is just the mentoring Jules desperately needs to save her company.<\/p>\n
The Takeaways<\/h3>\n
But one thing that stands out about The Intern<\/em> is how Ben\u2019s ability to mentor affects everyone in the office. As I watched, I counted ten traits of highly effective mentors demonstrated by Ben toward Jules and the rest of the team:<\/p>\n\n- Be a servant.<\/strong> Remember the mentee is the hero. You, the mentor, are the guide. Your job is to support, never to undermine, supplant, or steal the limelight.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- Be observant.<\/strong> Notice everything, even details that don\u2019t seem particularly relevant. Your advice is shaped by what you see. Make sure to see enough to have beneficial advice.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
Be nonjudgmental.<\/strong> Listen to your mentee without sizing up and judging them. This doesn\u2019t mean you have to approve, but influence takes access and judgmentalism will close the door.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Be curious.<\/strong> Ask good questions\u2014this is more important than having the answers. A mentee will often come to the right answer on her own if she has the right questions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Be authentic.<\/strong> Be who you are, even if it feels a bit old fashioned. Remember, as a mentor your most important asset is you\u2014everything you know and have experienced.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Be calm.<\/strong> Cooler heads, as the saying goes, prevail. A good mentor can keep the temperature down. This is especially important when things get chaotic and others freak out.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Be confident.<\/strong> Mentees need wisdom and insight, not tactics\u2014which they can get practically anywhere. Realize your experience is relevant, even if you don\u2019t understand the nuances of the mentee\u2019s industry.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Be reassuring.<\/strong> In the midst of challenging times, it\u2019s easy to lose sight of our value and what we\u2019re capable of. When the stakes are high, remind your mentee of what she has already accomplished.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Be courageous.<\/strong> Call on your mentee to make the difficult decision or have the difficult conversation. This is sometimes the only thing that separates success from failure.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Be generous.<\/strong> When the mentee achieves the desired result, give her the credit. Always interpret other\u2019s actions in the best possible light.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nIf you see The Intern<\/em>\u2014and I recommend you do\u2014you\u2019ll watch these characteristics in action.<\/p>\nEveryone Is a Mentor<\/h3>\n
Some of my readers are \u201cleaders of leaders.\u201d They might want to take their leadership team to the movie and then have a discussion about what they learned about leadership or about mentoring.<\/p>\n\t\t