Comments on: Models and Mentors http://www.danthurmon.com/2009/10/models-and-mentors/ Motivational Keynote Speaker, Author and Performer Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:34:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Wanda Kiser http://www.danthurmon.com/2009/10/models-and-mentors/#comment-64 Wanda Kiser Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:56:23 +0000 http://www.danthurmon.com/?p=861#comment-64 My Mother and Father have served as excellent role models for me, and I’m also thankful for numerous educators, leaders, and ministers who have also influenced me towards becoming my personal best. Whenever I begin a new project or move in a new direction, I investigate to see if someone has already mastered the task or direction at hand. After discovering industry leaders in a particular area, I become a student. I glean successful tips and learn from their mistakes. Why waste precious time trying to reinvent the wheel when best practices have already been established? Yes, I pattern myself after successful people (role models). Of course, I personalize things for myself, so as not to become a carbon copy. However, if proven techniques are already in place, I adopt and incorporate them as my own and move forward with completion of my project. That’s called modeling. As a Career Coach, I believe in the power of mentoring. Many people need guidance, direction, and accountability to maximize potential. Without leadership, they remain stagnant, stuck, and unproductive. Only a select few are motivated and driven enough to keep moving forward when obstacles appear. With that said, I am of the opinion that we all accomplish more when we have an accountability partner, role model, mentor, or coach. My Mother and Father have served as excellent role models for me, and I’m also thankful for numerous educators, leaders, and ministers who have also influenced me towards becoming my personal best.

Whenever I begin a new project or move in a new direction, I investigate to see if someone has already mastered the task or direction at hand. After discovering industry leaders in a particular area, I become a student. I glean successful tips and learn from their mistakes. Why waste precious time trying to reinvent the wheel when best practices have already been established? Yes, I pattern myself after successful people (role models). Of course, I personalize things for myself, so as not to become a carbon copy. However, if proven techniques are already in place, I adopt and incorporate them as my own and move forward with completion of my project. That’s called modeling.

As a Career Coach, I believe in the power of mentoring. Many people need guidance, direction, and accountability to maximize potential. Without leadership, they remain stagnant, stuck, and unproductive. Only a select few are motivated and driven enough to keep moving forward when obstacles appear. With that said, I am of the opinion that we all accomplish more when we have an accountability partner, role model, mentor, or coach.

]]> By: Chris Young http://www.danthurmon.com/2009/10/models-and-mentors/#comment-62 Chris Young Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:08:08 +0000 http://www.danthurmon.com/?p=861#comment-62 Good advice on role models and mentors. They are the ones we get to choose. Somewhat different than what you speak of, I find my best teachers are the ones seemingly chosen for me without my say so. Whenever I pray for guidance, the answer more often than not, comes directly from someone I would never have sought out or even listened to before. Often, people I may not even care for are saying or showing exactly what I needed to hear - as if God purposely chose them to respond to my prayer. Go figure. There is a great Eastern saying, "the next Bodhisattva you meet may be driving the bus." The two most positive life changing things ever said to me were from relative strangers, in passing. Good advice on role models and mentors. They are the ones we get to choose.
Somewhat different than what you speak of, I find my best teachers are the ones seemingly chosen for me without my say so. Whenever I pray for guidance, the answer more often than not, comes directly from someone I would never have sought out or even listened to before. Often, people I may not even care for are saying or showing exactly what I needed to hear – as if God purposely chose them to respond to my prayer. Go figure.
There is a great Eastern saying, “the next Bodhisattva you meet may be driving the bus.” The two most positive life changing things ever said to me were from relative strangers, in passing.

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