Last Saturday, here in the wild west of the US of A, an amazing moment took place...just at dawn. I was up early to do breakfast with one of the good men I've the privilege of mentoring. But before Peter and I settled down into an exxceptional conversation, we drove to a hill overlooking the Rockies to the west to watch the full eclipse of the moon...just as it was setting behind Mr. Evans in the west, and the sun was creeping over the horizon in the east.
My feeble attempt at a photo with my iPhone shows a slight white dot in the sky above the buildings. The shadow of the earth was about half way covering the moon. The next time we will get to see this event here is on April 15, 2014.
Taking time to share this experience together afforded we two men time to catch up with each other. Both of us had experienced significant happenings in our lives since we last met.
This man I'm mentoring is one from whom I always take something away...his life and growth instruct me. He would say the same of me...but the growing, deepening circle of relationship we enjoy, in part, comes from a dynamic willingness to learn and grow together.
Mentors need to also be learners from those we mentor. If we are not willing to learn from them...we will miss the strong potential of not being effective in the give and take of Godly relationships.
Sitting here for awhile, thinking through the stellar individuals I've the sacred privilege of mentoring, looking back through my calendar of appointments for the past several months, I cannot think of one time but what I gleaned something of value from any of them. Of course, we mentor to be guides, but we need to model a willingness to learn and grow.
This is "value added" mentoring. This affirms the awareness of continuing growth in both the moments of joy and the moments of trial. This says to the mentoree, you are not alone, and there is value, deep value, in who you are becoming. We are humans together.
The next time I meet with Peter is tomorrow, Wednesday afternoon (yup, I know MM#40 is one day late...). I'm sincerely eager for those moments. He gleans. I glean. We grow. And...out of this I believe our God is blessed.
Be willing to learn and grow from those you mentor.
* * * * * * *
Tomorrow is my last day for awhile for any computing, texting, tweeting, Facebooking, even phoning, as we are "outta here" for some welcome family time (totally off the grid from December 15-26). However, I want to give you a Christmas present in the form of suggestions for you to get to know some of those whom I mentor, and who mentor me...primary...distance...peer. Thus, in the next 24 hours there will be a PS to this post you will not want to miss.
© Three3rdsMedia 2011...in association with LeadershipDesignGroup
Comments