Have you ever heard someone say, “I’ve seen this movie before, and I know how it ends?” This statement rarely refers to a movie, but to a situation, challenge, opportunity that previously ended badly for the person who says this. Well I have been to movies where the ending was great. I have also been involved in situations, challenges, and opportunities that went very well. When I think of mentoring, I think of it as an opportunity to share my story; those that didn’t go well, and those that were a success. Both in an effort to provide direction that can be used by others as they work to achieve their goals.
Mentoring provides an impact in three areas: Providing options, Describing the landscape, and Inspiring movement.
Provide options. When I begin a new activity I sometimes think, “I don’t even know what questions to ask, let alone the answers.” My first activity then is to find out what I don’t know so I can learn that before I start. For mentoring to be successful it needs to provide both direction and directions. Direction entails the big picture that we will discuss in describing the landscape. Directions is the movement that is inspired to arrive at your destination. Both are essential and as Simon Sinek said, “There is a difference between giving directions and giving direction.” My first mentor in writing and publishing my book The Leadership GPS provided guidance in what impact I could make, what I needed to do and who I needed to meet to learn how to be successful, then introduced me to those who would help me in my endeavor. When I mentor individuals, I look to set the stage with the big picture before moving on the tactical advise.
Describe the landscape. If you travel to new places, it’s hard to imagine what is around each corner until you have been there. You can research the major tourist locations, but you really don’t know a city until you walk its streets and interact with the people. This is why many people have tour guides for new locations. A mentor is a tour guide to success. The landscape of publishing was a mystery to me when I was ready to launch my book. I had a great mentor that described publishing to me up front so I could navigate my way through. I have traveled many places in my career and can describe the landscape to others who have not yet experienced it for themselves. John Maxwell put it this way, “One of the greatest values of mentors is the ability to see ahead what others cannot see and to help them navigate a course to their destination.”
Inspire movement. Oliver Wendel Holmes said, “The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.” Movement, that is an important step in any situation. When I was being mentored in book writing the first question to me was, “How many pages have you written today?” That was followed it up with, “It’s hard to be an author if you haven’t written anything.” When I mentor an individual, we talk about where they want to go then we discuss practical steps they can take now that will move them in that direction.
Mentoring is an opportunity to share your story and expand the opportunity for success to many.
