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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL Lawyers, judges take a stand in Pakistan Dear Readers, This week I want to comment about the unrest in Pakistan. No, I am not going to muse on the effec tiveness of American foreign policy, rather I wanted to comment on what is going on fp* mm I Jim Rockefeller The “Law” man there, in the context of . . . lawyers. There are a lot of lawyer jokes bandied about - “Q: What do you call a hundred lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A: A good start.” There is a similar quote from the Williams Shakespeare play, “Henry Mentoring - a powerful development method Ment ..g has been arou. , for a very long time. For example, Moses’ father-in law Jethro served as a mentor to Moses in suggest ing a bet ter way to handle the burden some task of settling disputes among the A % 11*1 mm Dennis Hooper Leaders Building Leaders Israelites (Exodus 18: 13- 26). Mentoring is usually an informal arrangement between an older, more experienced individual and a younger person who is not as far along in his or her career. The mentoring relation ship is a process of empow erment in which the men tor transfers valuable per spectives to the mentee for the purpose of the mentee’s development. The mentor contributes time as well as information, awareness, advice, knowledge, wisdom, encouragement, emotional support, career guidance, ilsrouN-dfe BUILDING^ MATERIALS! 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Which is a prophetic turn of phrase when we look at Pakistan today. Pakistan is a mess and it has “The Bomb.” Originally created as a nation-state out of the chaos of the crumbling British Empire when India won its linkage to resources, and sometimes even status or protection. Mentoring relationships often seem to occur sponta neously. However, both par ties are usually able to trace the relationship back to some initial overt request, perhaps small, from either the men tor or mentee. (“Protege” is a synonym; “mentee” seems to be more commonly used today.) Many strong mentoring relationships develop slow ly. Neither party may even use the word “mentor” to describe what is happening. The mutual respect level is high and both parties are willing to examine and share perspectives on methods and approaches in successfully accomplishing work. For mentoring relation ships to develop and remain healthy, the chemistry between the two individuals must be right. They share similar values. They each raise questions and offer stimulating ideas. Each individual derives some ben eficial consequences, though these are often not overt ly raised or even acknowl edged. Great For Christmas tooPißctL 4 PC. NUT DRIVER M| ££ J 91314 set wmmtmmm 16 PC. HOUSEHOLD §|f& QQ J 75651 Bonus Flashlight 10 pc. household mm mm J 60893 In Pouch mWW 160 PC. HOUSEHOLD mm J 75603 Tool Set W wMwmW 205 PC. MECHANICS &13V fifi J 75602 Tool Set W 9mw>WW 32-36” Meta! I Exterior lir 'Units Jacks Price AS rSli I Bsss&r. Wm-l Mm 'wmmmmmm HE freedom; Pakistan is a man ufactured Muslim-nation as the counterpart to the much larger, powerful, and urbane Hindu-nation of India. For years, Pakistan has been ruled by the Army, which is the one cohesive and influential power-center in Pakistani politics. First, the military ruled with dictatorships. Then, in 1999, after a constitution had been approved and a civilian government was elected, in a bloodless coup, Gen. Perez Musharraf seized power as President. The Army was the institution which gave him the ability to do this. Eight years later, Musharraf is faced with turmoil all around, as he maneuvers power levers to maintain his control over the country. Pakistan’s north Many successful lead ers have never had a men tor. However, anyone who has been fortunate enough to have experienced such a relationship will typically speak of it with very appre ciative words. “Trial and error” may be a very effec tive method for learning, but it consumes large quantities of time and the number and size of errors may be very detrimental to one’s career! You may be wondering, “If mentoring relationships are beneficial to both parties, why are there so few such relationships?” Or maybe you are thinking, “Hey, if mentoring relationships are so effective, why not start a formal mentoring process in our organization?” Those are good questions, and I’ll offer some answers next week. For the rest of today’s article, let’s look at some characteristics of mentors. (As you read these, think about whether you qualify as being a mentor to a developing leader in your organization.) Mentors have a passion ate interest in helping oth ers grow. They see potential in younger, less experienced HUGE DISCOUNTS Storewide!! 987-3335 VANITY TOPS SMS OFF Our Already Discounted Price 49x22, 37x19, 19x17 OPINION ern provinces, bordering Afghanistan, are a safe-haven for A 1 Qaeda. Just to the East, India and Pakistan are locked in a bitter struggle for supremacy in the Near-East, including the barely cold war with India over the disputed Kashmir region. The United States is put ting pressure on him to remain a partner (although it is debatable how strong a partner) in the Afghan front against terrorism. Add to the mix a restless extrem ist Muslim populace boil ing beneath the surface of a country trying to modernize and westernize. Musharraf, some might argue, is drunk with the power of a dictator and has subverted the constitution to stay in power; others jus tify his heavy-handed tactics individuals and are willing to share their understanding to help develop that poten tial. However, they are selec tive about where and how they use their time, so they are unwilling to invest heav ily in more than one or two individuals concurrently. Mentors have perspective, able to envision “what could be” for a given individual. They are willing to offer sug gestions to enable the per son to move in that direc tion. They are aware of what is good for the organization and good for the individual, and they hold these in prop er balance. Mentors expect mentees to bring agenda items for dialogue. They are flexible and able to flow with the interests and attention of the mentees. However, they expect mentees to respect their time and respond thoughtfully to the sugges tions offered. Mentors are able to See HOOPER, page 8A topSiSl WgT' \ .3a )^«GBnO Joseph Loin hoy. MD Board Certified in Internal Medicine mi Monday thru Wednesday & Friday from B:3oam • s:3opm • Thursday & Saturday from 8:30-12 Noon VIE ACCEPT MOST INSURANCE ■ NEW PATIENTS WELCOME to keep Pakistan from com ing apart from the seams - again, Pakistan has nuclear weapons. Standing against him are lawyers and judges. Yes, law yers have gone to jail rather than permit Musharraf to destroy the rule of law by his cavalier treatment of the Pakistani constitution. Musharraf has replaced the Supreme Court with hand-picked justices, because it had barred him from run ning for president, while also being the Army chief. This past week, the hand-picked judiciary rubber-stamped Musharraf's election as pres ident, despite his simulta neously running the single most powerful political force, e.g., the Army. Why are Pakistan’s trou bles a cautionary tale for us? Assessing Your Leadership Skills -SBS/person o, • i *«- I A I When you’re making out your Christmas card iM’ kkTar list this year, please include the following: ■L J&Pfax a recoveringJL i| AMERICAN SOLDIER 6900 Georgia Ave„ Nwjjl r Washington, DC 20307-50<y Show your appreciation forEQm I the sacrifices our m for our freedom y South Houston Internal Medicine, LLC 1031 Keith Drive, Ste. B Perry, GA 31069 0 PEN SJH(JRDAYS! • Arthritis • Asthma • Cholesterol Management • Diabetes • Dementia • Emphysema • Heart Disease • Hospice • Minor Surgeries 478-987-7444 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2007 ♦ Because Musharraf s illegiti mate path to power has been at the expense of the rule of law. Lawyers and judges have bravely tried to stand in his way and have suffered the consequences for doing so. So, when you tell the next lawyer joke, remember that lawyers protect us from des potism, elevating the law above the individual ruler. Local attorney Jim Rockefeller owns the Rockefeller Law Center and is a former Houston County Chief Assistant District Attorney, and a former Miami Prosecutor. E-mail confidential legal questions to ajr@rockefellerlawcenter. com. Visit www.rockefeller lawcenter.com for Frequently Asked Questions and Jim’s blog, The Rockefeller Report. F. Dennis Hooper Certified Leadership Development Coach Building leaders and organizations of excellence (478) 988-0237 • Nursing Home • Preventive Care • School Physical • Stroke • Women’s Health • Advanced Wound Care • Hypertension dhooper2@juno.com M 'fW Marietta Lombi v, AM*, CWCN] Adult Nurse 5A 54338