Leadership Exchange

Forget
Technology:
It’s My
Brother’s ID

In a study of 1,100 under- age students by University of Missouri researchers, published in the July issue of Addictive Behaviors, 29 percent of students with fake IDs said friends or relatives had given them one.

Dennis Deters, a lawyer who defends Miami University of Ohio students facing fake-ID charges, explains how it works: “you can just go into the bureau of motor vehicles and say, ‘I lost my license.’ And then you give it to your buddy. you have a real ID as opposed to something fabricated.” That’s useful because of harder-to-counterfeit features like raised lettering, microprinting, and ghost images.

Thirty-six percent of students report that they bought their fake IDs, and nine percent obtained them through a Greek organization. Eighty-six percent of students surveyed use the fake IDs to enter bars, 69% to enter clubs, and 63% to buy retail alcohol. Twenty-nine percent of those surveyed reported they had been caught with fake IDs.

Keeping Mentoring
Relationships Positive

The New York Times, July 25, 2010

FAKE;ID;USED;BY;STUDENTS: 86% to enter bars 69% to enter clubs 63% to buy retail alcohol ➤ ➤ ➤

Most young mentors view having a mentor as their ticket to the big leagues—to greater visibility, exciting assignments, and big promotions. Benefits flow to mentors as well, as they enjoy broader influence when their young protégés rise to stardom.

To ensure your mentoring relationship stays positive, consider the following:

Give;it;structure. Whether an organization has a formal or informal mentoring program, it needs to provide support for mentors and protégés. Human-resources representatives should be available to provide training and help sort out any concerns that arise.

Have;a;backup. It may be best for protégés to have more than one mentor at a time and vice versa. If a mentor tries to sabotage a protégé’s career, the protégé can turn to another mentor for backing.

Recruit;carefully. People who volunteer are more likely to put in the time and effort necessary to fulfill mentoring expectations. Organizations should try to match mentors and protégés who have things in common, as those relationships are more likely to succeed.

Training;and;orientation. Certain principles should be communicated beforehand, such as how often to meet, what the protégé is looking for, and what the mentor has to offer. Make sure protégés understand they should be receptive to feedback, eager to learn, and amiable. Both parties should be aware that their relationship depends on trust, and they may need to explain their actions sometimes to reduce misunderstandings.

The;bottom;line. Before mentoring begins, both parties need to understand what is required to make the collaboration worthwhile. Then they should either commit wholeheartedly or opt out.

Give;feedback. Mentors can share appraisals with protégés’ supervisors, who have a vested interest in the proteges’ development.

Prepare;for;the;end. Everyone should be clear that mentoring eventually ends when the protégé has learned all the he or she can, or when the mentor no longer provides guidance or satisfaction. Talking about this in advance can avoid misunderstandings.