Abstract
Mentorship is a concept that originates from ancient Greek literature. Many terminologies have been used to recognize mentorships such as sage, guide, and apprenticeship. Currently, various institutions are using professional mentorship programs to ensure diversity. The role of a mentor in a business is to ensure there is solicited advice, encouragement, and feedback to a mentee to enhance their personal and professional growth. Hence, by closely working with the mentee, different benefits can be brought in an organization by enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of their ability to carry out operations. Therefore, this study will explore mentorship in businesses through the prism of seven Augustinian pedagogical principles. The study will utilize Boniface Ramsey’s 2006 translation of Augustine’s De catechizandis rudibus (Instructing Beginners in Faith) for New City Press, originally written in 403. The study hypotheses is whether seven Augustinian pedagogical principles can be used in business organizations as an effective model in providing mentorship to new employees in an institution. The study will explore different methodologies that will be used to come up with a reliable and credible conclusion to the research question. Nevertheless, the research will make use of the historical-philosophical paradigm to estimate the application of Augustine’s principles in businesses. Results from this study will help learners gain knowledge on how Augustine’s principles can be used to mentor new employees in businesses.
Introduction
Mentorship is a concept that has its origin in ancient Greek literature. According to Adeyemi (2011), the term “mentor” was first used as a name for the personification of Athene, who took human form to become the mentor Odysseus chose for his son in Homer’s Odyssey (p. 367). Many terminologies have recognized mentorship over time, such as apprenticeship, teacher, sage, and guide (Dmytrenko, 2018, p.33). Maughan (2007) observes “these historic understandings represent the traditional practices and values regarding mentoring today: to lead, advise, tutor, and provide hands-on opportunities to promote the protégé’s career interests” (p. 23). Davis (2005) explains mentoring as a one-to-one learning arrangement that involves a professional with expertise and a mentee with comparatively less exposure (p. 2). Mentoring, according to Langridge (1998) (as quoted in Bennetts, 2003), is “the mechanism through which one individual assists another to develop and learn in a secure and sympathetic partnership” (p. 70). Therefore, the expert must assist the less experienced participant in developing personal and professional skills.
Studies also show mentorship is now being utilized in various organizations and institutions to ensure support through organized, professional mentorship programs. While Morgan and Nicholls (1998) (as quoted in Bennetts, 2003) believed the mentor’s position is still unclear, subsequent research has revealed several spaces in society mentors could occupy (p. 63). A mentor’s function is to provide solicited feedback, encouragement, and advice to a mentee to promote their personal and professional growth (Bennetts, 2003, p. 63).
Moreover, mentorship programs act as an encouraging and guiding force that can provide a specific framework for their associates to work within. While, in some cases, their benefits and influence are understated, it is undeniable that they are an excellent asset for both individuals and businesses. Therefore, by working together with the mentee, mentors can bring a variety of benefits to the table, thus improving the effectiveness and efficiency of operations. Dmytrenko (2018) explains that mentors in the corporate sphere can support the operation of not singular individuals but entire organizations and groups of people, which optimizes the workflow and allows people to express their potential more freely (p. 33). The use of mentorship programs can be beneficial to addressing some of the problems of today’s businesses and making the corporate environment more fit for current operations. Studies reveal that companies face several obstacles, including the exponential advancement of technology and globalization and the need to retain high-quality and employable employees (Hegstad, 2002, p. 421). Consequently, several companies’ human resource departments have launched work internship initiatives to eliminate these obstacles (Hegstad, 2002, p. 422). These programs and initiatives are effective at maximizing employee work capacity while also discouraging workaholism (Sloan, et al., 2020, p. 50).
Mentorship initiatives may take various forms such as one-on-one mentoring, in which an individual with expertise in a particular area is delegated to a younger or less qualified team member. It may also be a collective mentorship in which a specific employee or expert is paired with a cohort of workers to be mentored. Mentorship, when done correctly, will have a long-term beneficial effect on the company. The current study will involve identifying various benefits that a proper mentorship program would bring to a company.
The concept of mentoring is inextricably linked to leadership. In this regard, Turner-Moffatt (2019) highlights such a problem as the lack of organizational innovation within modern businesses.
Organizations are passing up essential prospects for growth and progress by not fostering equity in their leadership structure (Turner-Moffatt, 2019, p. 595). In the framework of Turner-Moffatt (2019), some of the steps that can help diversify leadership involve encouraging women to take on leadership positions (p. 595). The study reveals that proper leadership and management are the default gateways of meaningful organizational transformation and development (Turner-Moffatt, 2019, p. 596). When management is in peak form, other domains in the company seldom fall behind. Therefore, it is a leader’s responsibility to monitor the performance of all aspects of their departments. It will be the argument of the current study that seven Augustine’s pedagogical principles, which apply to every leader, can be implemented in business leadership as a model for mentoring employees to achieve operational success.
Research Question and Thesis
Augustine provides his seven pedagogical principles that can be considered in relation to the concept of mentoring since each one discusses a different aspect of the mentor’s various responsibilities. Among them are: 1) guiding, counseling, and providing emotional guidance to the mentee; 2) finding pleasure in their material despite boredom that may arise by constantly educating generations of mentees on the same topics; 3) tackling boredom from the mentee’s side; 4) expelling the mentee’s negative emotions such as low self-worth and self-esteem that may impede future success; 5) discovering as much as possible about the mentee to develop coaching strategies best suited to their character; 6) using personal life stories and narratives to pique interest; 7) motivating the mentee to raise questions about complex subjects. Being one of the foremost theologians and philosophers of early Christianity, he possessed a huge influence on its subsequent development and, more than any other person, shaped the themes that have characterized Christian theology for centuries. Based on this, the current study will seek to answer how St. Augustine’s principles from teaching beginners in faith should be used to guide mentorship in business. Though they are faith-based, they are essential principles in instructing beginners for targeted success in any organization today. As the direct correlation between Augustine’s teachings and business environment can be unclear, this work will make necessary correlations and connections more apparent. The study thesis is that the seven Augustinian pedagogical principles are effective mentorship tools for a business to ensure the success of its operations. Therefore, the research will focus on how to establish a perfect relationship between these principles and business leadership and mentorship. This will include the identification of issues faced by business organizations and the establishment of these principles in providing a solution to such problems. During this research, the goal will be to find the proper ways of addressing issues faced by currently working businesses and their employees.
Research Method Selection
The current study exposes the researcher to various methods that can be used to help come up with credible and reliable conclusions to the research question. Nonetheless, the research will use the historical-philosophical paradigm to evaluate Augustine’s seven principles application to business (Truax, 2004, p. 596). Boniface Ramsey’s 2006 translation of Augustine’s De catechizandis rudibus (Instructing Beginners in Faith) for New City Press, originally written in 403, will be the primary source material. The book will be analyzed and synthesized to demonstrate Augustine’s view in creating the principles and perspectives on their application in relation to mentorship. Hence, it will enhance the emergence of key themes and help establish their application to business.
Themes will correlate to various leadership styles, including servant leadership by Robert K. Greenleaf and Gene Wilkes, spiritual leadership by Richard and Henry Blackaby, transition philosophy by John P. Kotter and Michael Fullan, transformational leadership by James McGregor Bums and Leighton Ford, and pastoral leadership by William H. Willimon (Karatepe et al., 2019, p. 88). This method avoids the need to suit Augustine within a particular philosophy or paradigm while also analyzing him through the prism of fundamental values within the guild of leadership studies. Consequently, it is essential to take into account the political, social and cultural realities to analyze these principles correctly (Truax, 2004, p. 598). The researcher will consult other scholarly works, academic journal articles, published interviews, and leadership books to fully address the research question from relevant areas.
Literature Review
Mentorship Forms
There is a growing body of work on mentoring that does not focus on an “expert” with a “protégé.” Nowadays, there are multiple forms of mentorship available although they all fulfill the same educational function. Maughan (2007) defines mentorship as “a recommended approach for hiring, keeping, leadership growth, talent management, and succession planning” (p. 20). The style of mentorship selected in each environment is determined by the organization’s needs. Business organizations, for example, strive to retain and hire skilled and employable staff (Maughan, 2007, p. 24). According to Maughan (2007), there are two primary forms of mentorship: structured and informal mentorships (p. 24). Hegstad (2002) offered two others: community and peer mentorships (p. 15). Dmytrenko (2018) discovered two additional types: social networking and circle mentorship (p. 34). It is up to the individual organization to adopt what type of mentorship fits them and promises to help them accomplish their goals.
Formal Mentoring
Formal mentorship entails a standardized partnership between the mentor and mentee based on the institution’s needs or a person delegated to manage the process. The primary goal is to help young, and less seasoned employees in an organization improve their talents and abilities (Maughan, 2007, p. 22). This form of mentorship requires more effort from the organization and might meet some resistance from employees, but a structured approach is more likely to lead to quality results.
Informal Mentoring
This approach to mentoring is not formulated in the same manner as traditional mentorship. According to Maughan (2007), informal mentoring occurs spontaneously and may not need urging or interference from management (p. 24). It is rather self-selected in the sense that both a mentor and a mentee agree to participate. Maughan (2007) also states that informal mentorship can take time to evolve but, once established, can last a long time (p. 25). According to the report, multiple companies are determined to emulate casual mentoring benefits in their structured mentorship initiatives but have had no progress.
Group Mentoring
The process of mentoring can involve the participation of more than two individuals. Group gathering includes frequent meetings consisting of various mentors in a single community with another party whose job is to supervise the exchange (Dmytrenko, 2018, p. 33). To participate in the curriculum, the groups must understand their goals, roles, and obligations. As argued by Hegstad (2002), community mentoring is increasingly becoming a mainstream approach to mentorship (p. 78). As a result, the self-esteem of the team members increases and gives them a sense of belonging (Hegstad, 2002, p. 80).Where there is insufficient access to mentorship tools, community mentoring improves a broad group’s growth (Dmytrenko, 2018, p. 33). Community mentoring is often advantageous to group participants because it fosters coordination and cooperation among them.
Peer Mentoring
Peer mentoring is a reciprocal relationship cultivated between two equals. According to Kram and Isabella’s (1985) definition, two individuals perceived to be of equivalent pay, age, work location, or rank in an institution jointly consent to begin mentoring themselves (as cited in Hegstad, 2002, p. 422). This method promotes interdependence and reciprocal exchange among the parties concerned. Kram and Isabella’s (1985) research dictates that this form of mentorship lasts much longer than conventional forms (as quoted in Hegstad, 2002, p. 422). Peer mentoring assures the continued development of established employees, not only recently hired staff.
Circle Mentoring
Circle mentoring can be regarded as a combination of group and peer mentoring. Dmytrenko (2018) explains that circle monitoring is close to community mentoring in several ways (p. 33). There are many mentees in a circle mentorship, with a sole mentor attending monthly sessions. The circles are made up of participants of various ages and experiences, and colleagues from the same level. Any participant is granted the opportunity to suggest a subject for discussion and usually attends to the other members. The circle acts as a trustworthy confidant with mentees’ questions (Dmytrenko, 2018, p. 33). Members of the process may often learn helpful experiences from the members from various organizations’ sectors.
Social Media Mentoring
Modern technology can be utilized to improve mentorships by offering access to a global network of exchange. Virtual networking or distance mentorship uses online platforms such as blogs, social network pages such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp Messenger, cell and video conference calls, and emails (Ilieva-Koleva, 2015, p. 448). The schedule can include resolving either short-term or long-term criteria. Short-term needs may be focused on finishing a job while long-term needs may be focused on career growth. Since the parties can be from all over the world, this type of mentorship increases the variety of experiences and attitudes. The technique often allows the mentee to steer the exchange in the way that best serves their needs.
Advantages of Mentorship
According to Nimmons et al. (2019), in an organizational environment, mentorship helps the mentor, mentee, and the organization. The mentor is learning and broadening his/her knowledge base through directing, counseling, and encouraging the mentee. Adeyemi (2011) states that “the application of coaching and mentoring in the workplace is a great addition to the overall advancement of the employee and organizational stage” (p. 369). Furthermore, recent research has consolidated the effectiveness of mentorship programs in academic settings. Formal mentoring programs that utilize hierarchical and peer mentoring have been shown to promote college student success (Collier, 2017, p. 9). In medical school, mentoring has contributed to the reversal of academic decline by sparking interest in personal research experiences (Nimmons et al., 2019, p. 113). As a result, these programs can be implemented as a standard procedure within the operational system.
Advantages for the Mentee
Mentorship presents numerous advantages to the organization at large and the individual mentees. In the eyes of Malmgren et al. (2010) and Maughan (2007), it contributes to higher levels of job development and contentment, as well as higher incomes (p. 622; p. 122). Mentorship fosters a positive bond between the mentor and the mentee, which allows for more transparency and more productive interaction (Quach et al., 2020, p. 1). The exercise frequently helps minimize, if not eradicate, a mentee’s feelings of poor self-worth and loss (Adeyemi, 2011, p. 368). When a mentee is armed with the necessary skills, his/her aspirations rise, gaining access to better opportunities.
Advantages for the Mentor
While at first glance it may seem as if mentorships only profit the mentee, they are also beneficial for the mentor. According to Adeyemi (2011), the mentor “plays a significant role in transmitting expertise of the client and assists the person in improving his personal and professional growth” (p. 368). However, through assisting the mentee, the mentor benefits in a variety of areas. Mentors are motivated to continue dominating their profession while their expertise base expands, and they have continuous access to fresh concepts (Adeyemi, 2011, p. 370; Maughan, 2007, p. 23). As outlined by Kram (1985), they often receive career advancement and more professional networks (as cited in Maughan, 2007, p. 23). Adeyerni (2011) and Allen Poteet, Russell, and Burrough (1997) (as quoted in Maughan, 2007) say a mentor increases fellow participants’ recognition, self-esteem, and self-confidence (p. 23). Adeyemi (2011) further states that another advantage is that “they have an expanded sense of being wanted and respected socially, cultivate and practice a more intimate style of leadership, achieve additional attention and support, learn different insights, expand their professional networks, and relate more to those in the organization” (p. 370). Mentorships boost the mentor’s self-confidence, leadership skills, professional networks, and ultimately their long-term careers.
Advantages for the Company
When fully applied, effective mentoring has many advantages to an organization. The benefits are not limited to those mentioned above. According to the results of Ilieva-Koleva (2015) and Zachary and Fischler (2015), one advantage is improved professional worker retention (p. 450; p. 52). Workers can be laid off for a variety of factors, including poor performance and lack of experience. Mentoring helps prevent these situations by ensuring that the advisors impart as much knowledge and expertise to the mentee as necessary (Adeyemi, 2011, p. 370). There is also an improvement in the employees’ talents and competitive know-how, which increases their likelihood of achieving organizational objectives. Studies show the importance of carrying out proper mentorship programs because they help facilitate the proper passage of skills to the mentees.
Augustine’s Seven Pedagogical Principles
The seven pedagogical principles discussed in the study were developed by St. Augustine of Hippo, commonly regarded as one of the principal figures in Western philosophy and Christian theology. His contribution to Christian thinking is considered only second to St. Paul’s (O’Donnell, n.d., para. 1). He was born in 354 AD, in the Roman province of Numidia in North Africa, and was educated in rhetoric in Carthage (Humphries, 2017, p. 41). After being disappointed by professorship and falling under the influence of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, he converted to Christianity and was ordained as a priest (Humphries, 2017, p. 45). St. Augustine then dedicated his life, as Bishop of Hippo in North Africa, to spreading the gospel of Christianity through writing and preaching, based on his personal interpretations of the concepts of salvation and divine grace. He died in 420 due to illness, shortly after the invasion of the Vandals, and was canonized by popular acclaim in 1298 (Humphries, 2017, p. 58). St. Augustine is one of the most prolific scholars of Christian thought, his most notable works today being Confessions and The City of God (O’Donnell, n.d., para. 1). Augustine is one of the most significant and influential thinkers in history.
The seven pedagogical principles were illustrated by St. Augustine in his book Instructing Beginners in Faith. It talks about a deacon called Deogratia who needed advice about how to approach people who came to him (the deacon) to pursue redemption (immerwahr, 2009, p. 6). It is apparent that the deacon was desperate for a remedy to the congregants’ troubles, so he requested assistance from the bishop. Instead of counseling him about what to communicate to new believers, the Bishop was kind enough to give him written directions.
When dealing with those who came for redemption, the deacon was given seven rules to observe. These ideas became known as the seven Augustinian pedagogical principles. While they were designed for deacons and new converts, these principles may be applied to all aspects of life. For instance, John Immerwahr, a professor at Villanova University admits that he considered these Principles highly beneficial and relevant in his capacity as an educator (Immerwahr, 2009, p. 7). He claims that these ideas apply to any of his teaching interactions. Much like the professor recognized that these concepts were pertinent to his situation, the current study will argue that the seven Augustinian principles are relevant for professional mentoring relationships in business environments today. Therefore, these principles are timeless due to St. Augustine’s unique conceptions about a deacon’s responsibilities that have support in modern pedagogical and mentoring theory.
The seven pedagogical principles have transcended their initial function, and this current study will examine how their effectiveness translates to business mentoring. A company mentor by definition should be a role model in the eyes of his/her mentee or community of mentees. An employer may find himself in a situation close to that of the deacon who approached Bishop Augustine, in which case these concepts would be effective for new employees (Immerwahr 2009, p. 8). The mentor will discharge his mentorship duties with a bit of interpretation and internalization of these lessons. As a result, the bond between a mentor and a mentee is complex, and if it performs as expected, it brings out the best of all parties. Consequently, the Augustinian seven pedagogical principles are discussed and how business mentors ought to use them to achieve improved performance in business fields.
Justification of Study
The study utilizes Boniface Ramsey’s 2006 translation of Augustine’s De catechizandis rudibus (Instructing Beginners in Faith) for New City Press, originally written in 403. The current study is relevant because it does more than present mentoring programs and their benefits to an organization, mentor, and mentees. The evidence available is overwhelming to underpin the importance of business mentorship (Truax, 2004, p. 595). However, the literature does not capture Augustine’s pastoral work in his effectiveness as a teacher, mentor, and leader. The current study will examine these seven principles in the business context synthesized with current and former leadership and mentorship theories to determine the precision of how these principles best fit. Additionally, this will enable studying how each of Augustine’s seven principles works to understand the basic features of leadership in businesses and tools for effective mentoring.
Though context might have shifted since Augustine’s time, the current study portrays the essence of having a proper means of ensuring that employees obtain a practical purpose in their various duties through communication with a mentor. Immerwahr (2009) explains that several companies are encountering various issues such as accelerated globalization, technological innovation, succession planning, acquisition of high-performing employees’ and employment (p. 68). Therefore, these problems must be met in the most effective forms imaginable for businesses to succeed.
After conducting an in-depth analysis, the current study argues that mentorship is a successful mechanism that businesses can use to cope with these issues. Previous research carried out reveals that there are flaws in the leadership structure of modern organizations (Sloan et al., 2020, p. 1). There are specific guidelines on how to improve these critical situations within organizations. A particular quest for resources that offer consistent guidance on implementing Augustinian principles of mentorship and leadership in a business setting yields satisfactory potential (Sloan et al., 2020, p. 20). As a result, the current study will serve as the foundation for further studies on the subject matter.
Businesses face challenges in recruitment and retention of a skilled, high quality, competent workforce. This impedes the organization’s performance due to the lack of consistency and the impact it has on the relationship between workers and the organization. This is more or less similar to the essence of the relationship between a student and a teacher. It determines the probability of the organization retaining the good personnel that it has employed. According to Sloan et al., (2020), this relationship makes employees want to stay with the organization for a lifetime (p. 10). If the managers and the organization leadership take up the mentorship role, they are sure to have an organization rich in quality workers.
Furthermore, there is the issue of changing technologies. According to Schaeffer et al. (2020), technology exponentially increases the rate and speed of production, including all other business processes. This means that with every emerging technology, employees have to be fast to adopt. Augustine wisely noted that it is essential to have a connection between what is learned and experienced (Immerwahr, 2009, p. 8). As such, new technology poses a scenario where there is no experience, and workers have to start afresh to get to know the craft that involves changing trends in the market (Malmgren et al., 2010, p. 622). This is similar to what students’ experience, and thus, mentorship promotes understanding from both views, and effective mentoring principles potentially solve this issue.
The issue of leadership underdevelopment is prevalent and has been identified by several studies. It is an issue that has been critiqued by postcolonial economics and development tasks along with the benchmarks of human development. Wilson draws attention to this issue and how it impacts an organization’s success, especially when it comes to transitions and skills development (Malmgren, et al., 2010, p. 622). Junior staff not being prepared to take up more demanding positions has been an issue dominant in the business world. For Augustine, it was essential to help individuals overcome their fears, which in the current scenario is leadership. Therefore, they should be equipped and trained as required to ensure that they overcome such obstacles. Greenleaf notes that huge organizations have fallen merely because of the lack of proper training to take up leadership positions (Karatepe et al., 2019, p. 88). Therefore, they cannot run operations when their seniors retire or move to start their ventures.
In addition to these concerns, there are inadequacies in succession planning strategies. Shore (2017) argues that this often leads to unhealthy competition among employees translating to power struggles to occupy the vacant position (p. 20). These often lead to volatility in the work environment leading to employees feeling unmotivated. Moreover, it puts an organization at the risk of biases and resistance, leading to adverse effects in its business operations (Shore 2017, p. 20). Augustine elaborates the importance of creating a positive learning environment and resetting students’ attention. In this way, students can be prepared to learn according to the given educational culture. Similarly, employees get to know the organization’s succession culture, which is also done through mentorship.
Challenges affecting the success of a business are connected in one way or another making them unique and complicated. The change in technologies relates to the type of skills needed for an employee, and this skill requirement is linked to the planning for succession, which refers to leadership underdevelopment (Engle, 2019, p. 20). This creates a continuous cycle that can all be helped by effective mentorship as proposed through Augustine’s seven principles. Given the relevance of these principles in teaching and faith, it is important to understand them from business perspectives and how they can be internalized and externalized to have the best outcomes and ensure the organization’s success.
Delimitations and Assumptions
The current study holds that the seven Augustinian pedagogical principles can be used in business organizations as an effective model in providing mentorship to new employees in an institution to ensure the success of its operations. However, it assumes that some other factors and regulations are necessary to successful mentoring outside these principles (Davis, 2005, p. 170). For instance, there are such issues as mutual respect and trust. Sensitivity and confidentiality underpin the kind of relationship that exists between the mentor and the mentee. This extends to setting the ground rules and boundaries that address the power differentials between the two (Davis, 2005, p. 170). Therefore, to adequately analyze these principles in the business context, this study will consider other related factors necessary for the success of business operations.
The other assumption is that people change, which does not always reflect a mentor’s accuracy or a mentorship program. In this regard, the effectiveness of Augustine’s seven principles is judged from various perspectives, including manager-employee interactions, client involvement in mentorship, and most importantly, the accomplishments of individuals who follow these principles. The notion that the aforementioned regulations are a reflection of success is upheld by Steinbauer et al., (2020, p. 170). Therefore, the current study strives to prove that the same can be translated in the business setup.
However, the current study is limited by the proliferation of available materials. Currently, the internet is filled with mentorship-related materials ranging from websites to books, articles, and dissertations (Davis, 2005, p. 157). This limits the quantitative scope of the literature review. Additionally, it is tedious and time-consuming to examine and organize all these materials to have a satisfactory synthesis. In this way, the researcher may miss specific essential arguments and concepts regarding the study of mentorship (Davis, 2005, p. 157). Moreover, the various materials portray varied views, which may be dilemmatic as each of the materials provide valid points to their opinions. Therefore, the researcher may face specific challenges in choosing the best way to approach the breadth of materials available.
Furthermore, there could be some element of bias generated from the study of the available literature. Biases will arise because some of the studies will be conducted on a few organizations. In addition, the materials will be dependent on the interpretation of the researcher on the organizations that will be studied. In this way, their views may not entirely depict the application of these principles as required. Moreover, the success of these principles might not represent all businesses in all contexts. Specific organizations may have employees who embrace the regulations more than others and some might be more resistant to such mentorship.
A final challenge is the lack of sources to substantiate these principles’ applicability claims. Most of the literature is obtained from the book Instructing Beginners in Faith, which means that there is still a need to ascertain what business regulations, when educating employees, are necessary and well applicable in an organization’s setup to ensure the given mentorship is achieved. This limits the development of a stronger argument mainly due to the differences in context between Augustine’s application of teaching principles and the application in business mentorship.
Justification of Title
The title captures the essential elements of the thesis and the research question, which centers on the seven pedagogical principles developed by Augustine. The specific area mentioned makes the reader know the particular context and applicability within which the research will focus. This gives the researcher perspective and narrows the scope of study to its relevance in the business world. Additionally, the understanding of these principles for mentorship provides the foundation upon which they are used to ensure proper transition in the business world. This sets the stage for various developments and improvements in the organizational setup to provide a good relationship between employees and their mentors. Finally, understanding and applying these principles articulate a kind of leadership change and development that is needed by organizations today.
Chapter Summaries
The first chapter will look at the literature on mentorship, including its historical relevance. There will be an introduction of the concept and following through on its development over the years, including how it depicts itself in various contexts and the resources involved. Multiple perceptions on mentorship will be considered, focusing on the unique characteristics that contribute to its distinctiveness related to the business world. Furthermore, the research will capture the various mentoring outcomes, including a summary of the early Christian mentoring of Augustine. The second section of the chapter will focus on the methodology and the approach to ensure that the research questions are answered as required, and the research objectives are achieved. This will provide a conclusive capturing of the introduction to ensure that readers understand the context and essence of mentorship from a Christian and business view. This will also enhance the understanding of the nature of mentorship.
Chapter two will examine mentorship in the business world. Here, the researcher will define mentorship as viewed by various business scholars and assess how it fits the mentorship’s general view. The researcher will then proceed to look at the importance of mentorship in businesses today. The chapter will justify the need for a discussion on better mentorship in the business world. In this case, the challenges that arise in enterprises due to the lack of proper mentorship will be evaluated and assessed to see how adequate mentorship can help solve their shortcomings. As such, the researcher will contextualize the main elements in the topic and link them as required in the subsequent chapters. The researcher will also address how these needs are essential in improving leadership and management skills for the success of a business.
Chapter three will provide a brief biography of Augustine, his mentors and the specific lessons that he advances. This will capture the different mentorship forms used to prepare beginners in their faith as well as an in depth analysis of the seven mentorship principles. The researcher will then evaluate the prominent conditions of mentorship and regulations. Looking at Augustine’s mentors will involve assessing their impact on his mentorship life and how they played in ensuring that his principles and mentorship were aligned adequately as required. These will provide a proper foundation to the discussion on the particular lessons advanced by Augustine that are to be applied in the subsequent chapters. This will include an introduction of the seven specific principles and the nature and significance of their application. The lessons will encompass the given forms of mentoring that he advances and his views on leadership and their relationship to these duties and arrangements.
Chapter four will build on chapters two and three. The chapter will provide a detailed discussion on the holistic application of Augustine’s lessons to mentoring complimented by contemporary mentorship literature. This chapter will address specific challenges concerning how to meet other employee development needs in the business environment. The chapter is important because it will ensure that the given objectives and research questions are covered as required. A discussion on his view of a mentor as a disciple will also be essential to contextualize leadership and the mentor-disciple relationship.
Chapter five will offer a summary of findings relating to Augustine’s Seven Principles, providing solid evidence for the claim that they can be effectively applied to business mentorship. The chapter will discuss the given concepts and how essential they are to develop sound business mentorship programs. Along with suggestions for further study, the chapter will conclude with a list of implications that the researcher will apply in given business contexts. As a result, the chapter will help provide the author’s perspective on Augustine’s legacy.
Conclusion
The current study will determine how Augustine’s seven principles may be extended to business mentoring and leadership. Previous analysis has established some of the obstacles modern businesses face, such as the necessity for businesses to hire and maintain employable, high-quality, and well-performing workers in a period of rapid technological advancement. Insufficient leadership skills and the absence of a plan for succession of positions in a company are also hindering organizational success. As shown by many studies, mentoring is becoming a widespread human resource practice across numerous business, government, and academic institutions worldwide. However, no regulatory guidelines have been developed for the introduction of mentorship initiatives. According to Sloan et al. (2020), there is a lack of efficient and institutionalized mentorship models in the business world, which impacts worker retention, their professional development, and thus the overall success of the company. Thus, the existing obstacles hinder the success of businesses.
This study will illustrate how some of these particular problems confronting contemporary market organizations can be addressed by seven St. Augustine’s pedagogical principles. They were originally outlined by Augustine of Hippo in his book, Instructing Beginners in Faith, and should be regarded as timeless mentorship principles backed by modern pedagogical studies. According to Augustine, the mentor-mentee partnership position is to direct, encourage, instruct, and advise the mentee on matters about the mentee’s personal and professional life. A mentee is supposed to be friendly, appreciative, and eager to learn as best as possible from the mentor. In this study, seven Augustine’s pedagogical principles will be applied to the development of an effective mentorship initiative to tackle the challenges of modern business.
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