I am skeptical about my success in mentoring over the last six years. Those who have really benefitted will be around ten percent. For example, let's take my last five blogs on mentoring. In the present group of 31 mentees, only six have responded. Their responses too have been partial with no cross-engagement of each other's views.

What is the reason?

I attribute this to the absence of being able to invest quality time and resources on the self and in community. There is always talk about work-family balance but never about work and life balance. There is more to life than work and home. Life goes beyond, and encompasses the self, the community and even nature.

Our hierarchical cultural structure has prevented this from happening. Investment in these two areas, however, comes with a price tag - it invariably creates turbulence in one's relationships. Everyone is encroaching on the other's space in the family. And mentoring is about transforming oneself. Transformation cannot happen by sitting at home and in the office.

I want you to understand one grim reality: unless you transform yourself, you are not empowered.