Who's Your Mentor?

The world is changing so fast. Sometimes it feels like we're sprinting in the middle of a marathon just to keep up. We feel that once we reach a certain level we can just "maintain" and believe that we just don't have the time to invest in ourselves to grow. But the reality is, you're either green and growing or ripe and rotting. There is no status quo and we all need to be looking for the best ways for us to grow.

There are so many ways to learn. Some of the more common ways include:

• Structured training

• Leader development programs

• Webinars

• Seminars and professional events

• Reading great books

• Leader coaching in individual or group settings

And the list goes on...

For me, one of the most powerful ways I've experienced to not only grow personally but also to help others to grow is through mentorship. I've had the chance to learn from some of the greatest leaders of today and throughout history. The great thing about mentorship is that it can happen in so many different ways. There's certainly the formal, structured, personal mentorship that we often think of. But, I can also say that some of the greatest insights I've received in my personal and professional life has been from individuals I've never met in person. 

Leaders such as John Maxwell, Ken Blanchard, Patrick Lencioni, Darren Hardy, James Allen, Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, Craig Groeschel, and Andy Stanley have invested in me through their books, their speaking, their interviews and podcasts, and their videos. While I've never sat down with these folks in-person, listening intently and personally to what is their passion and focus has inspired me to pursue my own path to living my purpose of changing lives and growing leaders. The value of their experiences and thoughts can't be underestimated and continues to be building blocks for who I am today and who I'm becoming in the future. 

Over the years, I've progressed through different seasons where certain topics had more importance to me than others. Case in point....about 6 years ago I was heavily focused on building my competence in helping to create and implement strategy in organizations. I knew the basics but I also knew I needed to immerse myself in the leading thoughts around strategy so I could grow. So, I consumed everything I could on the topic. Greats like Collins, Kotter, Gladwell, Sinek, Kaplan and Norton, and Pink, to name just a few, brought different ideas on the topic. Reading and listening to these leaders was almost a master class in strategy and provided the catalyst for me to consider the topic and how I was being led to provide value in this area to others. Through mentorship I've been able to be intentional in growing in each of these areas through the contributions of different wisdom leaders. 

One of the greatest things we can do as leaders is to pour into the lives of others to help them grow. Dr. Jason Brooks

I'm now at the point in my life where I have frequent requests from others desiring to learn and grow for me to be their "mentor". I put that term in quotes because, I still feel like I have so much to learn. But, at the same time, I also realize my pasts experiences, present insights, and future dreams can be of great value to others, just like so many others were of value to me. It is one of my greatest honors to be approached by eager, self-motivate, driven men and women leaders who want to make a difference and leave their mark and want to be mentored by me. My only regret is that I don't have more time to invest individually. So, I look for opportunities to share my thoughts in ways that, hopefully, many will have access and the ability to learn and apply my insights to their lives. Through speaking across the country, writing my own books and blogs, hosting podcasts, and creating videos on topics that are so meaningful to me, hopefully I can give value to others.

I believe with all my heart you never learn as much as when you teach and I count it a blessing every day to be able to pour into the lives of leaders around the world. Even today, I'm learning from others. My list of my mentors continues to grow as I journey through different seasons of my life. 

Walking Points:

• Do you have a mentor?

• How are you wanting to grow from a mentoring relationships?

Live. Love. Lead. Leave a Legacy!

Dr. Jason Brooks