Through hard-won experience, I have learned that the responsibility of a mentor is to assemble players in this game called “business” that can overcome my deficiencies.
Deficiencies are that part of the ego that some fear or refuse to acknowledge. Know this: if you are to advance your own agenda and build a platform for others to grow, the acknowledgment of your deficiencies is the first step forward.
Mentorship is an obligation for both parties—the mentor and the mentee.
- The responsibility of a mentor is to continue to recruit those to join your team who can adapt and contribute to your environment.
- The responsibility of a mentor is to place those people in a position where they can win.
- The responsibility of a mentor is to teach them to win. When you teach the organization to win, it becomes their collective responsibility to win.
It’s NOT your responsibility to do their mental resilience exercises. Fortitude and stamina are required. It’s a minimum barrier to entry. You can’t coach effort. You can, however, lead people who have the ambition, talent, and emotional wherewithal. Together, the team can make the collective better than the individual.
The development of people is an exciting obligation. As a mentor, it’s your responsibility to create the right environment for the right people—train them, put them in play and liberate them to perform without the shadow of fear as a backdrop.
A fertile environment is infused with empathic encouragement and purposeful guidance. A fertile environment is one where learning is a fundamental precursor to doing. Are there growing pains involved? Of course! There always are in any endeavor worthy of the effort.
But your purpose is linked to legacy, and you’re creating your story through each and every mentee. Another responsibility of a mentor is to show them the inkwell and put the pen in their hand, but it’s the mentee who must comprise the composition, edit the draft, and finish the masterpiece.
When you actively mentor another, it is your responsibility to remember the success isn’t yours, it’s theirs! You are the guide on the journey. The talent isn’t yours, it’s theirs. The will, the vision, and drive must be theirs. You can’t do push-ups or pull-ups for people. You can’t mentor or coach effort. But you can provide a forum, a learning environment, a mutually beneficial arena for exchange and growth.
If you’re looking to sharpen your leadership skills, we recommend reading Always Forward!
The author of the book, Bill Wooditch, is a keynote motivational speaker who seeks to educate through his own experiences.
Take a step further to bring out the best in yourself and your team by hiring professional speaker Bill Wooditch as your next corporate event speaker. Learn from his personal success stories and draw inspiration to achieve your goals.
