Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine November 2017 | Page 19

The Business of Leadership The Power of Having a Mentor! By: Bonnie Benkula, BSHCA, MBA Certified Coach, Speaker, Trainer The John Maxwell TEAM The Leaven Exchange [email protected] According to John Maxwell, “A self made leader doesn’t make much.” It takes a lot of people investing in one to help them to become successful. You may wonder, “Who helped you Bonnie?” Because of these mentors in my life I had the skills to look for mentors in my professional life and I sought out mentors beyond my family. I found mentors who could fill the gaps for me and hold me accountable to maintain my self-awareness to continue to work hard to improve myself and then to improve others. Those mentors got to know me well and I worked hard to make sure they knew that they had made a difference in my life. Mentors. A mentor is someone who lifts others up to be the best person they can possible be. They teach, guide and open doors for you with a heart full of generosity. May I suggest. Be intentional about finding your own mentors, as you move forward; reflect on all the people who have helped you get where you are today. Take time out to show gratitude. Then move forward & seek mentors that are already successful in the area you are trying to grow. No one gets to the top alone. My first mentor in business was my brother, Jimmy. He believed in me when I had no history of success. He was ten years older than me and when I was 23, fresh out of college, with a wild idea for a business, he was first in line to invest in me. While I was single and foot loose and fancy free, Jimmy was married and had two kids and had everything to lose. He taught me to be fearless and he taught me to never give up! Jimmy taught me to give of myself and to prepare for the unexpected. From my big brother, I learned about unconditional love, I learned the value in giving back to my community and I learned that sometimes you have to believe in others before they believe in themselves. From my mother Ruth, I learned the value of letting someone else get the glory. My mother was fun loving and a great optimist but most of all she was the foundation of connection in our family. Everyone wanted to be around my mother Ruth. Why? She lifted people up! She ide ntified their talents, she saw the good in them and she pushed others to the front. She brought out the best possible in others and then gave them all the credit for getting there. Effective mentors pour life into others, share skills, open doors and work hard to make their life count. These leaders add value and get a true sense of joy from mentoring. Many leaders living a life of significance are mentoring others. That’s what great leaders do! MOMENTUM / November 2017 18