Leadership Lessons Learned

Whether you travel with The Who on Magic Bus or journey on the Magical Mystery Tour with The Beatles, hopefully you find Mentorship to be a tour worth taking bidirectionally.  You might also find that it comes in stages like the refrain progresses through Waiting, Hoping, Coming, and Dying to take you away.

I’ve had the good fortune of mentors finding me directly or indirectly, whether being mentored by those who may have held or hold levels perceived to be above or below me by “title” in the corporate cobweb construct.  Some sought to provide it intentionally, some without realization of bestowing the gift, and some through allowing and responding to my curiosity and perhaps interrogation even to open up their teachings. 

I have benefitted from mentorship of the extremely intelligent like Tim Kenney, Jim Bresee, Dave Demers, Andy Treanor, and Ann Hartman to name a few.  Learned from fine young cannibals who gobbled up all learning thrown their way and matured into significant leaders like Blain Newton, Kelly Lavigne, and Meghan MacDerment.   Watched killing it by kindness of Mary Meyer and Angie Hammond.  Experienced executive excellence education from Rich Tarrant, Jim Crook, and Ron Roberts.  By function, have seen humanity of human resources from Mary Margaret Lee, Kristin Halpin, and Matt Riley; lyrical letter of the law from Tom Moody and Christina Wahlig; foundation of financials from Jack Kane, Tina Bissonette, and Scott LaPlant; sizzle of selling from Kate Hunter, Mark Gowetski, and Jeff Shea; panache of project management from David Ridley, Geetha Ganesan, and Michelle Woodruff; power of programming from Donna Goad, Glenn Hayes, and Rob Miles; and epitome of engineering leadership from Sue VanKoevering, Joey Murray, Mike VanKoevering, and Bill Campbell.

Highlighting just a few of the probably at least 7,000 mentors I’ve been blessed with.  Btw, if you haven’t had, have now, or take the chance to experience or work with any of these folks if possible, to quote the great scholar Mr. T, “I pity the fool”, who doesn’t take it!

 Three significant professional mentors of mine left the good earth earlier than acceptable.  Jeff Blanchard, Pat Fox, and Mary Alice McManus all gave me great things to glean.  At various points I argued or disagreed, at times I begrudgingly received it, at times I probably thought I had exhausted it.  I know I didn’t communicate my gratitude enough though.  Hint: seek sooner, actively acknowledge.

As we age and become more experienced (“wiser” is a stretch), we perhaps are more susceptible to mentorship believe it or not.  If I could implore anything, it would be to seek it out, to receive it, to provide it, and to know the value of the bidirectional road you can travel on the magical mentorship tour.  So get on the bus Gus…..school is in session! #leadership #itmatters #mentorship