What a mentor is, and is not.

(This article was originally published in 2015). 

I lost two people who were very, very important to me last fall. They had both been my mentors.

The first was my mom who has been my personal mentor throughout my life. She guided me from birth and sacrificed enormously on my behalf.

There is absolutely no doubt I would have never accomplished the things I have done without her wise counsel and assistance.

The second was a senior officer who took me “under his wing” when I was a young cadet at West Point.

Don was a professional mentor I could always turn to for guidance and counsel specifically about my military career. He also provided critical advice and analysis for many of the national security issues that I became involved in while working in the Pentagon, National Security Council Staff in the White House, and other efforts that I have been involved in since retiring from the military.

I always knew that he was only a phone call away despite the fact that we were not frequently assigned to the same location and might not see each other for several years.

I could always call him day-or-night to seek his advice and assistance.

But what exactly is “mentoring” and why is it important?

Mentoring has been described as a dynamic relationship in which a more experienced person (the mentor) acts as a guide, role model, teacher, and sponsor of a less experienced person (the mentee). It is based on several distinct elements including:

  • Reciprocity, collegiality, authenticity, and mutuality.

  • Intentional role modeling

  • A “safe harbor” for self-exploration (disclosure)

  • Transformation particularly of the mentee’s professional identity

  • A connection that endures

CLICK HERE to read the full article!

In it Jeff share....

  • What makes a mentor effective

  • The transition from mentee to mentor

  • Creating a mentoring culture

Leadership lessons from the war in Ukraine

You may already know that our main focus at Diamond6 is to "learn from the past, to prepare for the future".

We do need to get one thing straight. 

The past is 150 years ago when we talk about the Battle of Gettysburg and the leadership of President Lincoln during one of the greatest transitions in American history.

It is 80 years ago when Pearl Harbor was attacked, leading to our formal entry into World War 2.

And, it is 50 years ago when the Watergate scandal led to President Nixon's resignation.

Leaders must also learn from a more recent past. 

Almost 12 months ago, on February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. This move was a major escalation in a war that has been ongoing since 2014.

Nearly one year after this brazen move by Russian president Vladimir Putin, over 9,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, to include 500 children.

The world has also gotten a front row seat to the slow and steady crumbling of the Russian leader whose "iron fist" is experiencing a fight he did not expect, from Ukraine, the world, and increasingly, his own citizens.

Jeff is now offering the seminar, Leadership Lessons from the War in Ukraine to our clients. 

 


 

This can be a single presentation done in-person or virtually. It can also be part of a larger workshop. 

In this presentation Jeff uses current events in the war in Ukraine, stories from history, and thought-provoking questions to highlight and explain irrefutable leadership lessons that are critical for corporate, education, and nonprofit leaders to understand.  

Participants will learn key tenets of effective strategic leadership and where leaders often fail in implementing strategy. Plus, he identifies ways to create organizational cohesion and how to stay focused on what is most important, despite distractions.

Jeff also ties in his background in crisis leadership and the media to give participants a 360 degree view of the war, it's current impact, and future implications. 

This presentation was created due to demand. Clients in education, agriculture, and in business have been asking Jeff his thoughts and insights on this very topic. 

Understanding this recent past can help leaders at all levels prepare for the future. 

Interested? Feel free to send us an email to info@diamondsixleadership.comand we can send you more information.