Situational Mentoring

 The following video is from 2010 and is an important reminder as you choose a mentor(s).

 

Comments

[Marc]

eric

I have a personal board of advisors
8 mentors total-- body, mind,spiritual, learning, family, social, career, and financial

[Steve Hopkins]

Excellent perspective... expressed well how I felt in a recent mentoring opportunity, being asked about things way beyond my experience. Thanks Eric.

[Epic Living]

No suprise to me that you would have that kind of structure in place, Marc. Hoping others will join the habit.

[Epic Living]

Thanks for the comments, Steve. As I said in the video, it really is "on" the mentee to be situational. I've made this mistake, but fortunately, my mentors have spread a lot of grace my way.

[Jocelyn Aucion]

I think your ideas are great, albeit idealistic. Mentors seem to be similar to friends - you are lucky to have one. Situational mentors sounds like a pipe dream.

Would you mind explaining how to seek these mentors out?

I think there are two types of people: People who view their world and experience and learning as gifts to in turn be given away, and people who hoard these things for themselves.

The way I see it, there are many more of the latter than there are of the former - plenty of people who want to be number one and will not seek out relationships where they are the mentor at risk of that, unless the gap between themselves and those they are mentoring is big enough to present no threat.

I realize I sound so jaded. It's just that I've spoken to many peers who struggle with this as well - in business, in life. It's nagging at me.

[Epic Living]

Jocelyn,

I hear and get you. I try to keep my writing and speaking to the areas I've experienced. That said, finding the right mentor for the righ situation can be a challenge. The best way I've found is seeking out those who have background in the area I want to be mentored on. Asking a spiritual mentor to help me with financial things will usually leave me deficient.

As it relates to people and the self-centered motivations, I agree with most of your observations. It's one of reasons why I do what I do. Sadly, many people and organizations treat people as a means to an end. This creates problems...big problems. My mission is to be light