Originally posted by: sadiltl
A Mentee - Mentor Relationship of NeilSha...
Before I share my views, please keep in mind that it comes from personal experience so I am not generalizing it. I am an avid reader too so I kind of gathered this from reading certain scenarios of human behavior. This might not apply in general but I did see these dynamics in myself with my mentors and others that I know. The same dynamics I observe between Neil and Ayesha.
A mentee-mentor relationship, irrespective of gender will have a relationship where
1. Mentee actively learns from the mentor
2. Mentee looks upto the mentor
3. Mentee wants to be in his/her best behavior in front of mentor
4. Mentee looks for approval from mentor for their opinions and feels elated when mentor agrees with.
5. Mentee thinks mentor is the best person she/he found in their profession. So they are thankful always
6. For a mentee, their mentor knows the best. They cannot go wrong.
7. As a team when a mentee and mentor work together, their output is splendid.
8. They form a different level of comfort with each other, they trust each other deeply and share any professional issues with their mentor.
9. Mentor treats the mentee equally. they dont show that the other is a subordinate.
10. Mentee almost idoloizes the Mentor, and hence behaves 'distant' physically too. It is almost like I should not touch them more than needed. :) They put them on a pedestal.
See all these happened to me! And when Neil and Ayesha are seen in interviews and together, I notice this. Ayesha has a spark when he talks about Neil. I see her feeling lucky to have shared the screenspace with him. If you see their SBS interviews, she always looks for his nod when she says something (typical!). And Neil assures her everytime. :) The recent interview when she said she has so much respect and love for him that she would not put across her inputs in a way that leads to an argument.(typical!). You disagree but you do it politely. At the back of your mind, you know your mentor's judgement will have something more. Neil always encourages her in his interviews. He doesnt overly praise her (typical!) but he has genuine feelings for her success. There is an unsaid protective instinct that comes from their own personal equation that he helped her better the art.
10th point is very real! I hug every male colleague at my work place except for my mentor. :) I am very comfortable with him to discuss anything on the earth but that distance is the respect I give to him...it says in unspoken words that 'for now' he is beyond my reach. So I see the same with Ayesha and Neil offscreen. It comes from deep sense of respect that Ayesha is not 'close' to him as others. And the way she says she cant do away with 'Sir' next to his name resonates with her gratitude towards him, for teaching her something which we dont know. :)
Sorry for the long post. I feel they share a very genuine and special bond which is very endearing to see.