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Mentor
Having a Guide For Your Journey
academy
Answers: Where can I turn for help?
Having access to help for when you get stuck. This is about having a guide, a mentor, someone who believes in you, who reminds you of why you fight, who sees the best in you and helps you become that.
lesson 1
Introduction
course objectives
Recognize I need a mentor to help me move forward in life.
Understand mentors must be both caring and candid.
Identify potential mentors (traditional and/or non-traditional).
Commit to reaching out to my proposed mentor/team of mentors.
Find a New Way
What do North American whooping cranes have in common with someone who needs a mentor? A lot, it turns out.
The experience of these endangered birds and their unlikely mentor can teach us much about how we learn from those leading the way.
personal assessments
a moment for reflection
Past Mentors
Think of the word “mentor” in a very broad way. You may not have a formal or professional mentor, but you likely have someone you look to as an example, a guide or a support. It’s possible you’ve never met them. Maybe you have contact with them; maybe you don’t stay in touch anymore. The important part is that this person has taught you key things that you draw upon to be the best version of yourself.
lesson 2
Help Along the Path
A Journey of Ups and Downs
The path we travel along our journey to purpose is not flat. It has many ups and downs, and when we find ourselves in a dip, it is sometimes difficult to climb up without feeling so discouraged that we are tempted to quit.
A mentor can make all the difference. They know that we can do it because they know our capabilities and they have successfully traveled the path we are traveling. And they will help us know it, too.
Four Jobs of a Mentor
A mentor has four distinct jobs in helping us along our path. These jobs combine nudges and invitations with encouragement to see what we are not currently seeing.
Work with a mentor or coach is a strategic partnership that will multiply our efforts exponentially.
lesson 3
Mentoring Attributes
The Caring and Candid Combination
The presence and unique balance of two key attributes is critical to our ability to trust a mentor.
As we consider possible mentors, it is important to look for these two attributes in how they communicate with those they attempt to influence.
A Coach at the Pinnacle of Success
Even the best in their field can benefit from a mentor. It takes humility to admit that more growth and refinement must happen before we can reach our potential.
If you were widely regarded as the best rock drummer in the world, why would you need a mentor? Luckily, this drummer had the humility to recognize his journey was not complete.
personal assessments
a moment for reflection
Mentoring an Expert
Learning and perfecting a skill is an ongoing process no matter how talented we are. When we can perform at a very high level, it takes humility and dedication to ask for help. Finding the right mentor is often the best way to see significant improvement.
Caring For the Person and the Outcome
We can learn much about mentors from the arts and many traditional creative pursuits that are passed down from mentor to pupil.
This is often where true excellence is found, in the skilled hands of many generations of meticulous craftsmen and women.
lesson 4
Getting to "Good"
When the Perfect Mentor is Out of Reach
There are three strategies that can help us assemble the mentors to guide our path.
These strategies push against what we might naturally want to do—keep looking until we find exactly the right person.
Look for Non-Traditional Candidates
One important strategy for finding good mentors is to look for non-traditional and informal mentors—some that may already be in our lives.
It is helpful to consider the people who are already influencing us to be more and do more, even if they have not been down the road we are traveling. Mentoring is probably already happening—what effect is it having?
personal assessments
a moment for reflection
Finding a Non-Traditional Mentor
Lessons learned from a mentor in one area can benefit you in other areas of your life. For example, the neighbor who teaches you how to grow herbs on your balcony can impart insights into patience, attentiveness, and daily attention to detail—skills that improve life, not just basil.
lesson 5
Going Virtual
What You Can Do Right Now
What if we are unable to find someone in our communities or circles who could serve as a traditional mentor?
It is easier than ever before to reach beyond those limitations and find someone to stretch and inspire us.
lesson 6
Building Your Team
Build a Team of Mentors
How can sports teams illustrate a key strategy for finding mentors?
A single mentor is not likely to provide all the support and insight that we need as we pursue our desired outcomes.
personal assessments
a moment for reflection
An Ideal Mentor
Knowing that mentorship isn’t limited to professional help, you can tap into a variety of resources to get help and inspiration to achieve your objectives. This may include family members, friends, work associates, neighbors, community leaders, or social contacts. It might even include writers, content creators, professionals on social media, books, or online forums.
lesson 7
Conclusion
Mentor Conclusion
It is easy to stagnate when we feel like we have accomplished something of significance, when we get discouraged or stuck, or when we are uncertain “what’s next.”
Mentors are the catalyst we need to nudge us along in our journey, both short-term and long-term.
Course
Completion
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