The Mentor’s View
I hadn’t seen Dan in at least three decades, but there he was, staring at me and trying to figure out if I was who he thought I was. We were in an airport far from our homes on our way to different destinations.
That memory popped up while reading Gretchen VanDerMeid’s fine article in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle about the power of mentoring and how you can make it work for you. The article is titled “Seeking a mentor benefits personal development, advancement.” She covers the characteristics of a good mentor.
“What personal characteristics make a good business mentor? A good mentor is accomplished and successful, approachable, someone who communicates well and derives personal satisfaction from contributing to another professional’s growth.”
Zero in on that last line: “derives personal satisfaction from contributing to another professional’s growth.” It’s the key to why being a mentor is a wonderful thing.
Dan was one of my protégés. We met in a basketball league and started talking about his career during one of those after-game beer and pizza sessions.
He was in a job in financial services then, trying to decide if he should go to graduate school. I helped him decide to get an MBA, and where to go. We stayed in touch for a while, but his life moved on and so did mine.
I’ve had several protégés in my life. Some have resulted in long, deep friendships. Others have been shorter relationships. Dan’s was one of the latter.
But we’d both benefited from the relationship. I got the benefit of helping someone else move toward their goals. I also got the benefit of his fresh perspective on the business world. Like I said it was good.
Now, thirty years later, we had one of those backslapping reunions that make other travelers turn their heads. We had time to sit in the bar, have a beer and catch up before Dan headed off to his flight.
Dan was doing well. After b-school he found a job working at a company and in an industry he loved. Then he started his own company. It was doing well. Along the way he had several mentors.
I watched him shoulder his bag and head out on to the concourse and I thought to myself. “I had a part in that.” It’s the best reason I can think of to become a mentor.
