Mentoring has had a profound influence in my life and I think always will play a huge part. Through the position I have attained I continue to pay that forward with how I mentor my children, colleagues and the wider community. My children as adults are both paying it forward in their professions as a teacher and as an educational psychologist, they both enjoy mentoring.
Mentoring can change lives, you can help children stay in school, help colleagues realise their ambitions and if lucky enough help others find a balance in their life which truly lasts many lifetimes. I do worry that mentoring has become a business buzzword more than a humble commitment to servant leadership. A box to tick rather than a promise to help others see their potential.
Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Last year I had the pleasure of appearing on the Grasp.hr Click on the link above to listen. I relayed about my earliest mentoring experience as a caddy to stockbrokers at 13, to the influence my grandfather had on my life. My early business career at Eli Lilly and my eventual move to Veeva Systems.
In the podcast I talk about how as a 13 year old I devised how to learn from successful people; I headed to the golf course and listening intently to the businessmen share advice as they played golf and I carried their golf bags. We discuss the basic needs of a mentor and the mentoree, what three hats you should wear as a mentor and finally my love of Coach John Wooden.
Let me know what you think of the episode? let me know if you mentor or are mentored. Tomorrow’s post will be on gifts, receiving and giving of gifts. Have a great Saturday.
Sea's The Day 