Passing Along Knowledge and Wisdom

What is a mentor? What is it that mentors do? Can having a mentor help you succeed? Today we’re going to be answering these questions.

These days, there are many sophisticated tools available to help those who want to be successful. But one of the most valuable assets anyone can have is also one of the oldest. What we are talking about is a mentor – someone who can help you learn the ropes, find your way around obstacles, and chart a course that will get you where you want to go.

Just about every successful person you will read about, whether they are in business or one of the professions, sports, the arts, or any other field of endeavor, has had the benefit of at least one mentor. Very often, they’ve had many more than that. In many large corporations, one very successful way to get ahead is to be mentored by someone in a leadership position.

Mentors are people who have achieved success themselves and want to pass along what they’ve learned to others. It’s the knowledge and wisdom gained from experience that are so valuable. (Many organizations have structured mentorship programs as a part of their leadership training.) Mentors don’t usually tell you what to do – that’s not their role – but they do help you weigh your options and think through decisions.

Mentors don’t only exist in large corporations, however. They exist in many areas of society, like the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organizations. You, too, could be a mentor to someone looking for a little help in navigating the sometimes-confusing paths of life. Let’s face it. Everyone needs a little help, every once in a while.

So, who are you mentoring and who is mentoring you?