I heard Harvey McKay say once that he had perhaps over a dozen mentors. Can you imagine that?
I have had and currently have a few mentors in my life as well. Allow me to tell you about some of my mentors.
Jim Tharp taught me spiritual direction, discernment and some key fundamentals in helping form my God concept and my religious beliefs as they exist today.
Jim VanHook taught me the art of loving people and instilled in me the philosophy of “love the people.”
Denis Waitley helped me with my understanding of people and motivational aspects about the workings of the mind.
N Hill taught me about dreaming, planning and desiring in a good healthy way and then developing a plan for the accomplishment of such dreams and hopes.
Kevin Hall taught me the importance of words and their root meaning and how a life-word can help define one’s life.
I could name a few others mentors, but I believe you get the point.
Mentors can add tremendous value to your life and in helping you form your foundation, your sense of direction and some fundamental skills that will stand you in good stead for years to come.
I’ve had the privilege of mentoring a few people during my lifetime. I simply have passed on the key principles I’ve gathered from a lifetime of living and learning.
I believe a mentor has a right to be vulnerable to their mentee. He or she needs a taste of real-life work situations and you can best facilitate that by sharing a reasonable amount of the good and the bad. When I faced a crisis, I shared enough of the situation with them to give them a feel of the agony and processes I had to go through. My philosophy of mentoring is that mentoring is a finishing school, a continuing education opportunity and the more real-time experiences one can have the better rounded their lives will be.
Let’s examine the role of the mentor. It begs the question, “What is a mentor?”
A mentor is a guide, teacher, sculptor, advisor, leader, guru, nurturer, prompter, and life coach.
When I entered into those mentoring relationships I cared deeply about the individual and his and her growth both professionally and personally. One of the first things I said to each was this: “Here is a bit of advice I learned from a college professor that I want to pass along to you. It will change your life if you take this advice to heart. The advice is this: “LOVE THE PEOPLE.”
We, all of us, are ultimately in the people business and we can accomplish nothing without people. Genuinely, without shame and without reservations show love and respect for every individual with whom you come into contact. People can tell whether you care or not. Always care, genuinely and sincerely.
Using the ABC’s, lets cover the gamut of what being a mentor is all about:
Mentoring is applying what you’ve learned by pouring it into the life of another
Mentoring is being an example and being real
Mentoring is caring
Mentoring is daring and doing
Mentoring is explaining and expending energy and information
Mentoring is forging skill with experience
Mentoring is giving an opportunity for growth and development
Mentoring is giving up a part of you
Mentoring is helping one come to an understanding of his/her future career choice
Mentoring is honing skills
Mentoring is informing and instilling principles and philosophies
Mentoring is judgment formation skills
Mentoring is kindness
Mentoring is learning
Mentoring is molding
Mentoring is nudging
Mentoring is openness
Mentoring is preparing one for the future
Mentoring is offering quality instruction, conversations and life examples
Mentoring is responsibility
Mentoring is sharing, showing and it is serious
Mentoring is teaching and telling it like it is
Mentoring is understanding
Mentoring is vision
Mentoring is walking side by side, holding the light, showing the way along the path
Mentoring is extra time, work and attention to the facts that matter the most
Mentoring is yielding time
Mentoring is zeroing in on the essential
My mentors have enriched my life beyond what I could ever hope or dream. May you find exceptional mentors and may you have sense enough to listen, learn and then go and leave your own legacy with your own mentee.
I have had and currently have a few mentors in my life as well. Allow me to tell you about some of my mentors.
Jim Tharp taught me spiritual direction, discernment and some key fundamentals in helping form my God concept and my religious beliefs as they exist today.
Jim VanHook taught me the art of loving people and instilled in me the philosophy of “love the people.”
Denis Waitley helped me with my understanding of people and motivational aspects about the workings of the mind.
N Hill taught me about dreaming, planning and desiring in a good healthy way and then developing a plan for the accomplishment of such dreams and hopes.
Kevin Hall taught me the importance of words and their root meaning and how a life-word can help define one’s life.
I could name a few others mentors, but I believe you get the point.
Mentors can add tremendous value to your life and in helping you form your foundation, your sense of direction and some fundamental skills that will stand you in good stead for years to come.
I’ve had the privilege of mentoring a few people during my lifetime. I simply have passed on the key principles I’ve gathered from a lifetime of living and learning.
I believe a mentor has a right to be vulnerable to their mentee. He or she needs a taste of real-life work situations and you can best facilitate that by sharing a reasonable amount of the good and the bad. When I faced a crisis, I shared enough of the situation with them to give them a feel of the agony and processes I had to go through. My philosophy of mentoring is that mentoring is a finishing school, a continuing education opportunity and the more real-time experiences one can have the better rounded their lives will be.
Let’s examine the role of the mentor. It begs the question, “What is a mentor?”
A mentor is a guide, teacher, sculptor, advisor, leader, guru, nurturer, prompter, and life coach.
When I entered into those mentoring relationships I cared deeply about the individual and his and her growth both professionally and personally. One of the first things I said to each was this: “Here is a bit of advice I learned from a college professor that I want to pass along to you. It will change your life if you take this advice to heart. The advice is this: “LOVE THE PEOPLE.”
We, all of us, are ultimately in the people business and we can accomplish nothing without people. Genuinely, without shame and without reservations show love and respect for every individual with whom you come into contact. People can tell whether you care or not. Always care, genuinely and sincerely.
Using the ABC’s, lets cover the gamut of what being a mentor is all about:
Mentoring is applying what you’ve learned by pouring it into the life of another
Mentoring is being an example and being real
Mentoring is caring
Mentoring is daring and doing
Mentoring is explaining and expending energy and information
Mentoring is forging skill with experience
Mentoring is giving an opportunity for growth and development
Mentoring is giving up a part of you
Mentoring is helping one come to an understanding of his/her future career choice
Mentoring is honing skills
Mentoring is informing and instilling principles and philosophies
Mentoring is judgment formation skills
Mentoring is kindness
Mentoring is learning
Mentoring is molding
Mentoring is nudging
Mentoring is openness
Mentoring is preparing one for the future
Mentoring is offering quality instruction, conversations and life examples
Mentoring is responsibility
Mentoring is sharing, showing and it is serious
Mentoring is teaching and telling it like it is
Mentoring is understanding
Mentoring is vision
Mentoring is walking side by side, holding the light, showing the way along the path
Mentoring is extra time, work and attention to the facts that matter the most
Mentoring is yielding time
Mentoring is zeroing in on the essential
My mentors have enriched my life beyond what I could ever hope or dream. May you find exceptional mentors and may you have sense enough to listen, learn and then go and leave your own legacy with your own mentee.
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