Anyone else feel lost?
Ever had that feeling in the pit of your stomach that you are not where you are supposed to be? You know where you are now, but not where to go next? I don’t mean misplacing yourself on a casual drive through the countryside; I mean with your life in general, and, more specifically, your career. I will admit that I have been at that critical inflection point more than once in my life and have, at times, been slower to act than I would have liked as I mapped in my mind the various outcomes that could be possible should I choose one path or the other. The result of which is a decision tree that even the best trained leadership executives would find perplexing. In this situation, I have often sought the help of a trusted advisor to point me down the right path. This person has often been in the formal or informal role of mentor for me.
According to Stacey Flowers in her TEDx talk, “The Five People You Need to Be Happy,” a mentor’s role on your championship-winning team is to point you in the right direction. This person will be recognizable because they will have information that you will need to consume. This person must have two key characteristics:
Chairman, Teryluz Andreu, and I at dinner a few weeks ago. You will hear more about Tery when I talk about another key role on my team in a few weeks.
Willingness to share information; and,
The knowledge and understanding to point you in the direction you should go.
Over the years, I have had many important mentors in my life and career, too numerous to thank here (I hope you know who you are and how grateful I am for you). These sages have been willing to share of themselves to help me make critical decisions and behavioral adjustments that have changed the trajectory of my career. For many years, Pete Sanborn has been in this role for me. Pete’s nickname at our company was “The Velvet Fist” because he had this gentle way of speaking truth to you that helped you grow. He cares deeply about others and in his very kind way gives you the feedback and guidance you need to grow.
Having worked together for fifteen years, when it was time for me to start my own company, he became an irreplaceable source of honest feedback about both my strengths and developmental areas. He also provided wise guidance that kept me moving in the right direction. He still sits in that role for me today as my mentor, so much so that I have given him the highest title in my company: “Chairman of the Board” (“Chairman” for short).
One caution Stacey issued in her TEDx talk really stuck with me. She warned that you cannot have more than one mentor at a time. If you do, by definition you will be confused because the role of a mentor is to point you in the direction they believe you should go. Therefore, if you have more than one, you will be pointed in different directions. I have worked with a number of executive coaching clients perplexed as to their next move because they are receiving conflicting advice from different sources.
Who is your mentor? Who do you rely on for honest feedback and directional guidance? If you would like to talk about your team, please reach out to me.
For more on the five people you need when choosing your championship-winning team, please read my blog here.
