Today I tried to think back: Did Tony step into the role, or did I make him my mentor by my interest in learning and attaching myself to the brightest mind I could find? I think it is a little of both. In order to be mentored you really have to be eager to learn. And to be a mentor, you have to be willing to share your knowledge and experience, and give guidance to help someone else’s business or career.
If you think being a mentor is all sacrifice and no gain, however, you are wrong. Throughout my career I have been lucky enough to have several mentors. As I have watched them from a distance it appears to me the more they give the more they receive. On the same token, whenever I’ve seen my staff grow stagnant and quit learning, and I haven’t taken the time to make sure they are developing their skills, taking on management roles, advancing career-wise and financially, I can bet I will soon loose them, the good ones anyway.
Think about what it would take to help someone move up as close to your position as they can get, or as close to your level of knowledge and expertise as they can get. What would help them get there? Start teaching them. Acknowledge their contributions. If you’re in a situation where they perceive there is no way to move up, create a new position for them so they can advance and see how quickly things change. Not only will they become more valuable to your operation but as they take on more responsibility, you’ll have more time to strategize. You might even find yourself on the golf course more often.
David Garic is right. Most of us in leadership positions call the wrong plays without even knowing we're breaking the rules. We’re not a solitary group. We need each other. We can’t do it alone. As leaders we must learn to lead and mentor our charges or we’re soon doing the work alone. Fortunately, there are a good number of leaders out there for us observe. And I’ll just bet that someone helped them get that way.