TYPE OF MENTORS AND THEIR IMPACTS

The idea of mentoring is as old as mankind. Ancient Greece introduced the concept, and it was institutionalized during the Middle Ages. The term MENTOR does not imply an internship, an apprenticeship, or a casual hit-or-miss relationship in which the student simply spends time in the presence of an adult and information is transmitted (Boston, 1989).

Internships and apprenticeships are valuable because they allow students to learn new skills and investigate potential career interests. A mentorship, on the other hand, is a dynamic shared relationship in which values, attitudes, passions, and traditions are passed from one person to another and internalized. Its purpose is to transform lives (Boston, 1976).

According to John Maxwell, there Exist 3 types of mentors in his life and there impacts differs, they are:

1. THOSE WHO KNEW ME AND KNEW THEY MADE A DIFFERENCE

The greatest example of this type of mentor in my life was Coach John Wooden. I intentionally sought Coach out to learn about teamwork, leadership, vision, and character. I’ll never forget how much work I put into our first meeting—I came armed with pages of questions that took me hours to write! And the preparation paid off; not only did I come away from that initial meeting with a thousand ideas to consider, I also earned the right to sit down again with Coach Wooden several more times before he passed away.

But there have been other mentors who saw my potential as a leader and partnered with me for a season to help me grow. Others have joined me to keep my thinking sharp and focused on growth. Like Coach Wooden, each mentor knew his or her words made a difference in my life, and also knew those words made a difference to the people I served. For that reason, they were happy to help me on my journey.

2. THOSE WHO KNEW ME AND DIDN’T KNOW THEY MADE A DIFFERENCE

But not everyone who knows you knows how much of a difference they make. For me, the greatest example of this in my life is Kurt Campmeier, who introduced me to the concept of having a personal growth plan way back at the beginning of my career. Kurt’s influence on my life and work is far greater than the amount of time he spent with me, but time isn’t always equal to impact. For years, I don’t think Kurt had any idea of the impression he’d made on me. But a few years ago, my team tracked him down, and I had the opportunity to see him again and thank him.

The reality is that a host of people in my life have shown me wise paths or challenged me to grow without ever knowing that I was watching their lives. In fact, if I were to name their names right now, they might respond by saying, “John, what are you talking about?” They weren’t looking to mentor me, but I was looking to be mentored by them—I was intentional in seeking out the wisdom that they often weren’t even aware they were offering.

3. THOSE WHO DIDN’T KNOW ME AND YET MADE A DIFFERENCE

And that intentionality extends even to those mentors whom I’ve never met. That may sound strange, but the truth is that all of us have access to long-distance mentors we may never meet in person! Speakers, books, magazine articles, webinars – the list of available mentors is endless.

In this age of digital experiences, there are more opportunities available for mentoring than ever before. All you have to do is search for people who are achieving in your area of interest, and you’ll have a wealth of potential mentors at your disposal. Just make sure that what they say translates into actions or principles you can follow in your real life. After all, the point of any mentor is to help you take steps to get better!

That’s why I’ve been so relentless about pursuing mentors—I need all the help I can get if I want to continue getting better. And if you want to get to the places you dream of for your life, you’ll need help too. Some mentors are in our lives for a short season, others are for longer ones; the length is determined by what you need to learn and what the mentor has to offer!

IT'S REALLY UP TO YOU - BECOME DESPERATE TODAY TO LOCATE A MENTOR

Whenever someone asks the inevitable question of How do I find a mentor? I point them in the same direction: who can you think of who is successful in an area where you’re trying to grow? Start there and see how you can access that person’s insights—maybe it’s through a blog, maybe it’s a book, or just maybe it’s just a phone call away. You won’t know until you start looking and asking.

No one gets to the top alone. We all have help.

Mentors are like the father figure that help in nurturing you. David Oyedepo once quipped, "Fathers are feathers that helps you fly higher." 

Do you want to fly high in life? Find a father, locate a mentor in that area of life you are passionate about and consume voraciously from them.  Shalom!