Re finding a mentor, there’s an old saying that ‘When the student is ready, the teacher appears’. Which, looking back, was probably true of my most important mentors. Having said that, it takes two to tango so you probably need to put yourself out there as well, going to classes and other events, and looking out for good teachers.

And of course these days there are plenty of people teaching online, which makes it easier to track them down…

I gave you a virtual handclap as I stood up from my chair and read this article. Thomas Edison is another inventor that came to mind.

Thomas Edison had his mother who believed in him and refused to conform to the labels others placed on him. She knew he was special and able to do great things. She sacrificed her reputation, stepped in and homeschooled an inventor who changed the way we live today.

I agree a mentor is someone who will dig down deep in you and remind you of the talent and skills he or she sees. A person who will open your eyes to opportunity and help make the connection a reality. A person you can trust to be there no matter what challenge and obstacles you are facing. A person will challenge your thinking, but also allows you to challenges theirs are valuable qualities I have found in having a mentor.

I often wonder where we would be if those you mentioned in your article did not have a mentor.

I also believe our mentors can change depending on the next stage in our life.

I am one that needs and excels with having a mentor.

Do you have any suggestions in finding a mentor?

Mark — I think you’re right that “one of the hidden values of the mentor is the ability to observe business and political cycles over time to see patterns that emerge over the long run, patterns which might be invisible when we’re in the throes of change”. Yes, the rules of engagement are changing day-to-day — but a good mentor will remind us of timeless values and principles.

Dwayne — thanks for sharing, it sounds like Jerry’s done a great job for you, great to hear he’s been so inspirational.

I suspect (and also believe, based on my own personal experience) that Gen Xers may not be as open to mentors as previous generations, because we have this streak of independence and a lack of trust in authority figures. Our loss, perhaps. At the same time, though, when the world seems to constantly reinvent itself around you each year, how can a mentor help when the rules are being rewritten? That’s not to say that mentors are useless, but it does make me wonder if one of the hidden values of the mentor is the ability to observe business and political cycles over time to see patterns that emerge over the long run, patterns which might be invisible when we’re in the throes of change. Food for thought.

I’d like to think we can all be mentors. Perhaps not THE mentor, but we all have something we can give to someone else. Maybe it’ll last only at one meeting, for one month, or on and off for a number of years. If we share our knowledge and experience regularly we’ll all improve.

I feel like, sometimes, you can read the same phrase 1000 times, but one person you trust saying “No really, it works” pushes you from understanding it to acting on it.

which is why trusted refers are more important than ever, particularly with the information overload on the Internet these days.

@Jean — I hadn’t read David Brooks before (NYT is slighly off-radar for me in London), I’ll check out some of his other stuff. Thanks for the trusted recommendation.

@Kingsley @Maryanne — Exactly. For real achievement intrinsic motivations are as important as the extrinsic ones.

@Kingsley — I’d be interested to hear what you think of the books you ordered. I’ve skimmed Talent Is Overrated and it looked pretty good.

@Sunny — Nice nautical metaphor!

@Gabriel —

It is very much a “fend for yourself” culture. I think that, more than anything else, is what leads to such high rates of burn out in the industry.

Apprenticeships were designed to provide the mentor experience in a wide range of professions, but nowadays it seems to be a holdover from an older time and no longer respected as it once was. In many cases this leads to inferior skill sets, poor quality output and frustration for those trying to excel in their craft.

I think what you’re describing is the flipside of the brave new world that technology has given us. I’m not an IT expert, and I can maybe understand the mindset that IT is always so new that past knowledge is no guide to future success — but even in IT, there must be plenty of principles about how you approach your work, technically and professionally, that are worthy of learning and handing down.

@Kare — Glad you like the stories, I’ll have to check out Gladwell’s basketball story, sounds like a good one. “success can be because of Effort rather than Talent” — that seems to be the argument of Talent Is Overrated – of course, it has to be the right kind of effort …

@Duff “those young, talented people who are bound for success will naturally seek out and be sought out by mentors in the field.” Good point about the mentors doing the seeking as well — the really good mentors won’t waste their time on all and sundry, they’ll want to see some potential and (maybe more importantly) commitment on the part of the mentee (horrible word, can’t think of a better one though).

@River – “To me, this post was just a way of recycling past content (Marla’s animated video).” Actually the Marla link was the last thing that occurred to me when I wrote the post.

“Sharing is nice, but what’s the payoff?” I’m sorry we’re giving away too much for your liking. But as you’ve been reading long enough to remember the original Marla video, I guess we must be doing something right.