Leaders Need Mentors, Too

Leaders Need Mentors, Too

In an earlier article, I wrote about what it takes to become a Leader—how anyone and everyone has the potential to transform themselves into Leaders, and that it is only a matter of determination and confidence.  Now, I would like to focus on those who have already become Leaders.  Specifically, I am going to discuss a concept which many Leaders, and many who hope to become Leaders, fail to realize, but which is crucial for anyone hoping to become and remain a successful Leader: Leaders Need Mentors, Too.

But before I get into that, let’s take a moment to consider what it means to be a Mentor.  A Mentor is anyone who teaches you, coaches you, or guides you.  It can be an actual teacher or coach, another authority figure, a relative, a friend or a co-worker.  A Mentor is someone who has imparted wisdom and knowledge to you.  Someone you trust.  Someone who has helped you to become the person you are today.

As I mentioned in my earlier article on The Four C’s, one of the keys to achieving success is being Coachable.  You have to be open to Coaching—to being Mentored.  If you are too stuck in your ways of thinking, too headstrong and overly confident, then you can never improve.  You will experience no progress, and progress is essential to both achieving and maintaining success.  Anyone who has achieved success has been Coachable, and has actually sought out Mentors who could help them improve.

Now, for many ambitious people, becoming a Leader seems like the end of a long road.   Someone may work for years and years with the goal of someday becoming CEO of their company, and then, one day, they make it—they are appointed CEO.  But what now?  If becoming a Leader was your sole focus, how will you behave once you attain your objective?

If you are one of those ambitious people, you need to think about not only how you will become a Leader, but also what you will do afterwards—how will you use and maintain your position?  And one of the most important lessons you can learn is that Leaders Need Mentors, Too.  You see, Leading is very different from following.  Once you have become the Leader of your organization, whatever it may be, you will no longer have a clear and obvious objective to aim for, or a guide to emulate.  You will be alone at the top, and that can be very difficult to navigate, especially when you first find yourself in a Leadership role.  For years and years, you have worked to become a Leader.  Now that you are one, how should you Lead?

That’s why Mentors are so important for Leaders.  If you find an individual who has been a Leader, who has handled responsibilities similar to those you now face, then you will have both an example to aspire towards and also a guiding hand to assist you.  Of course, this Mentor does not have to be someone from the same field you are in, or even from the business world.  Simply by having access to someone who has experienced something similar to what you are experiencing, and who is willing to share his insights and advice, is incredibly valuable for new Leaders.  Mentors can help you navigate this new, difficult challenge, so that you are not playing a guessing game when it comes to how to act as a Leader.  Now, you’ll have real information to utilize, and an individual to better assist you in utilizing that information.

Most people realize the value of a Mentor for a young, up-and-coming worker—but always remember that everyone can benefit from the wisdom of a Mentor.  Even Leaders.