There’s only one quality that I’m proud to tell others about me and don’t mind sharing. It’s a quality I also look for in others. And that is – I’m teachable. As long as I live, I’ll be a life-long learner. Partly because of the way I’m wired and I’m a reader, but also because I have a thirst to grow in knowledge.
Wherever I’ve lived and served, I’ve found someone to mentor me, and I’ve tried to be a mentor to others. I’ve mentored guys younger and older than me (mostly younger). I’ve always found someone older than me and met with them regularly to learn from them and pick their brain.
There are many reasons to seek out a mentor. I must say again that it’s crucial to have a teachable spirit and sincerely believe you have room to grow and learn from another. One reason to seek out a mentor is to grow spiritually. Sometimes, a mentor is further along spiritually than you and can disciple/mentor you in your walk with Christ.
Sometimes, I seek out a mentor that is an awesome husband and father. I see how this person loves his wife and kids, and I feel I could grow from spending time with him. I don’t know about you, but I want to learn how to be a better husband and father.
Sometimes, I seek out a mentor that can help me grow professionally and as a leader. I meet once a week with a man that used to work with Ken Blanchard and helped write the book Lead like Jesus. He’s led workshops on Blanchard’s “situational leadership” and countless “Lead Like Jesus” workshops and seminars. We meet weekly for him to pour into me and teach me about leadership (both situational leadership and servant leadership).
There are many reasons to be mentored and as you’re able to share what you, yourself, have learned over the years – you can mentor someone younger and pass on what you’ve been taught or learned the hard way.
So what about you? Do you have a mentor? Do you mentor others? If so, tell us about it. What have you learned?
