Mentors and Mentoring

Mentors are important! Some of my mentors don’t know they are…my mentors, that is. I’ve had several, and still do, each of whom have mentored me in different areas of my life. My longest-standing mentor is Chief  Master Sergeant (Retired) John Sterle, who was the first to see me as a Chief. I’ve tried to emulate him since I first met him. Not sure I meet the mark, but I’m still giving it all I have.

Sometimes, we become mentors without knowing it, like Simon Sinek, Stephen Covey, Don Miguel Ruiz Jr, Robin Sharma, DJ “Eagle Bear” Vanas, Dr Tom Boyd, Mother Theresa, and others are to me.

I remember, then Master Sergeant Al Thompson, who was the Commandant of the Airman Leadership School at Kapaun Air Station in Germany, inviting me to speak to his students just after I’d arrived at Ramstein Air Base. He’d attended my Noncommissioned Officers Academy at March Air Force Base California while I was the Commandant there. I accepted his invitation. I was struck by his introducing me as his mentor of many years. I didn’t know! We’d kept in touch, and I suppose I’d guided him once in a while, but I didn’t know I had a TITLE! I was proud, of course, but a bit bumfoozled at the same time. By the way, we’ve maintained a strong relationship for decades. 

Writing is how we’re mentored and mentor nowadays. Mostly on some type of social media. I, personally, write like I speak. I think you’d agree if we’ve ever talked face-to-face. I like the reader to feel as though I’m speaking directly to her or him. I like to read the same way, as if the author is speaking to me, specifically. That’s why I say all of the folks I mentioned above are my mentors. We have continuous personal conversations every time I read something they’ve written. I’ll admit, though, that the best mentoring is eye-to-eye, when we can listen to each other’s hearts as well as the words we exchange.

I developed a mentoring process several years ago that I may develop into a book one day, but what I want to impress upon you in this writing is that we often think a person is big enough and wise enough to mentor us about everything we seek help with. Not necessarily. Seek several mentors in their specific areas of expertise. Simon mentors me on youngsters and current leadership views, Dr Tom mentors me on spiritual issues, Don Miguel often guides me and verifies my understanding of the Toltec and Yaqui ways. DJ mentors me on my writing. Oh, I forgot Deb, my lovely bride of forty-four wonderful and fulfilling years. She mentors me on how to be a loving husband, which is the most important role I play on a daily basis.

My mentors lead me in their expertise, and I’m more than willing to follow them. BJ Neblett said that “we are the sum total of our experiences.” Maybe. Don’t disregard learning from others’ experiences. There are many who would be willing to mentor you. Just ask.

 

Until next time, Be GREAT! You ARE!

 

¡HEIRPOWER!

 

bob vásquez!