Value of a Mentor

Vince Lombardi was one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time. He won two Super Bowls and 5 NFL Championships.

John Wooden won 10 national college NCAA championships over his 27 years. Arguably the greatest college coach of all time.

Paul Bear Bryant won 6 national championships at Alabama over his 25-year coaching career there.

Do coaches make a difference in outcomes? Do mentors make a difference in outcomes? The answer is YES!

What makes a great mentor or coach? Here are a few things they bring to the table.

• Experience – been there done that. “They can give you some shortcuts.
• Hard Knocks – they “failed forward” to gain wisdom. Wisdom can’t be taught, it’s learned.
• Save You – from having to make the same mistakes.
• Technique – they know the technical part of the journey and can show you
• Watch & Observe – if you observe their life you’ll gain more than from what they teach

I often say the difference in a mentor versus a coach is a mentor models while a coach teaches and guides. The coach requires accountability to a process. The mentor inspires through example.

I’ve had both in my life. They both inspired me to be something greater than what I could have been alone.

Do you have that person in your life?

I’m getting a bit older now. I’m not on the road speaking and teaching like I use to be. That means I can invest in others through technology and personal engagement.

So here’s the deal. I’m starting a TGIF CEO Roundtable June 15. I can only handle 14 Christian CEOs or executive level leaders. Are you one of them?