For the past few weeks I’ve been posting about mentoring and how critical it is to learn from world-class mentors—those great leaders who’ve gone before us, as well as ordinary colleagues and peers who may just be a few steps ahead of us.
But what does it mean to be a world-class mentor? How do you find one? And equally important: how do you become an excellent mentor?
You may be at a point in your life and career where you feel like maybe you could serve as a mentor to someone else, but perhaps you’re unsure of whether or not you would be a good mentor; do you really have much to offer? Do you have what it takes? Let me answer that question for you: Yes.
If you have a story, then you have something to offer.
I know, I know, mentoring is not as simple as that. But hear me out. Everyone has a story. Everyone has unique experiences and lessons learned that they can pass on to someone else. I can’t tell you how many times people have thanked me for telling my story. I don’t think my story is all that remarkable, yet people from all across the country and all walks of life have made a point to tell me that they’ve learned and benefited from my story and my experiences.
The point is, if you’ve experienced and learned anything during your life and career, then you have wisdom and advice to pass on to someone else! Don’t discount your own story. You never know, what you have to say may be exactly what someone else needs to hear!
