Leadership Mentoring

I was a senior in high school when I got my first taste of leadership. Granted, it was both as president of my church youth group, and as a member of Missouri Boys State. But, that is where it started.

To be honest, I was too young to fully comprehend the opportunities that lay ahead. It wasn't until someone took the time to invest in my leadership growth that I started to realize the possibilities.

I was 20 when I met the man who would become my first leadership mentor. For the next nine years, his insight and advice would guide me up the leadership trail. And, it was through my interaction with him and others on our team that I learned the importance (and the joy) of being a mentor.

Mentoring is all around us. We have it in our work as we train new hires to do their job. We get mentoring from family members as we have and raise children. We get it in church as the pastor instructs us from the Bible.

Every one of us has had mentoring at some point. We should look for and welcome those opportunities to learn from other people's wisdom.

But, have you ever considered sharing your wisdom with others? I'm not just talking about your opinion, but your actual life experiences and the lessons you learned.

Mentoring is one of the most important ways that learned knowledge is handed down from generation to generation. This is where a person's legacy is shared. This is where a mentor creates a piece of themselves that lasts beyond their lifetime.

This is especially true when it comes to leadership. Today's world has access to tons of books, blogs, videos and other materials that all instruct on leadership. However, there is something unique about the one-on-one mentoring process where you can sit around a table and share real life experiences.

As a leadership mentor, not only do you have the chance to invest in someone elses life, but you build a legacy that will carry on past your generation. In addition, you multiply your leadership.

For me, I was mentored, and later, I became a mentor. I've had the thrill of building a mentoring friendship that lit a fire inside of a young man as he began his leadership journey. Today, he is a leader in the company he serves.
Mentoring multiplies leadership, and builds a legacy based on experience and sharing.

Take a look around. Who can you mentor?