Who's Mentoring the Leader: The Leader as the Mentee? from Feroz Ali's blog

Leadership is the compass for living. - Calvin Miller, 1995

The people in key positions are essential to the things that makes the world go around, but relationships influence how leaders manage, mentor, and move organizations forward. There is a need in the world today for people responsible for others and resources in marketplace industries to seek the wisdom of seasoned leaders in all facets of organizational leadership. Service in the United States military, government, commercial marketplace, Church ministry, education, and parenthood at various leadership levels establishes the necessity for the continuous need for all leaders to have a mentor. Leaders arrive from a multitude of varied paths, shapes, and forms. The development and background of these people are routine questions often asked.

Leadership is a process of whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. No matter how much the world changes, society imposes incessant requests for capable, competent, and confident leaders as a necessity for social progression. There is a perpetual challenge for leaders at varied levels to seek a mentor. Have you ever wondered if the President or members of Congress have a mentor? Who are the mentors of influential church leaders comparable to Charles Swindoll, T.D. Jakes, or Pope Francis? Does the Chairman of the Board of the Federal Reserve Leaders System, Janet Yellen have a mentor? Who is Microsoft's Bill Gates' mentor? How do leaders respond as a follower? How do leaders at all levels interact with leaders they mentor?

The Courage for Guidance

Leaders of all levels need trusted guidance from leaders whom they can glean from. By this I mean executive leadership, mid-level managers, and novice leaders are all empowered to continue their growth as an individual and as a leader. The Bible reminds us in Luke 2:52 that "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature." As Jesus began His quest in life, He "listened and asked questions" of the teachers in the temple. Even Jesus made an inquiry for leadership information and thought. The life of every leader there is a constant requirement for wisdom that can be filled by senior leaders who are willing to keep the cycle of mentoring pressing forward. Possessing a college education and advanced degrees in the areas of business, law, medicine, divinity or theology are often great foundational beginnings for leaders.

The key to managing cultural changes in the world, innovation, and societal demands is leadership. A solid relationship between leaders and leader-mentees will produce capable leaders for constructive organizational impact. Consider adopting this concept, leaders and mentees must interact in a three-part interaction: (1) Leader to message (2) Mentee to message (3) Leader to Mentee. Capable leaders are men and women blessed with God-given and God-directed special abilities whose strengths will meet the requirements of successful performance in his or her unique organizational setting.

Keeping Your Edge Sharp

The act of mentoring is found in Proverbs 27:17, "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." According to leadership guru John Maxwell, everything rises and falls on leadership. Maxwell upholds this is true because a person's ability to make things happen in and through others depends upon the influences in a person's life. Maxwell advises if you are a leader, it is your responsibility to equip others.