I thought there was a really clever twist to the L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship luncheon on Monday. Everyone knows that mentoring is important. It's important to find a strong mentor on your way up; it's important to be a mentor to others. But how do you talk about this topic in a fresh way?

You bring on Rachel Vassel, formerly of The Weather Channel and the author of the forthcoming book Daughters of Men: Portraits of African-American Women and Their Fathers, and then you have her interview two successful women about their relationships with their father and two men about their relationships with their daughters. The panel was not only about good parenting skills, but also about cross-generational mentoring. Vassel shed light on the role that fathers play as mentors of their daughters, but also provided insight into what generally creates a healthy mentoring relationship.

The panel consisted of author and TV host Rene Syler, publisher Elinor Tatum, motivational speaker Shawn Dove, and human resources professional Ray Gutierrez. They talked about the best advice they gave and the best they received. They discussed the importance of trust, honesty, respect, and constructive feedback.

The discussion brings to mind an article that appeared in the first Kaitz Quarterly: "Five Key Steps for Effective Mentoring Relationships" by Audrey J. Murrell, Ph.D. The article, still available online, provides guidance on the myths and realities of mentoring relationships and provides practical advice on developing these collaborative connections.