When did
you last thank your mentors for helping you reach your goals or dreams?
Throughout
your life you will have teachers, coaches, friends, family members, and bosses
who inspire and motivate you to reach your goals.
Go back in
time to your first school days. Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
My
favorite teacher was Mr. William Whitson. He was a tall handsome young man with
twinkling eyes and a big smile. He taught me to play the violin when I was 8
years old. He encouraged, motivated, and inspired me to work hard for him. He
made me feel competent and capable.
Dr. John
Maxwell, the number 1 leadership guru in the world said, “That teacher probably
saw you as a “10”.”
If a boss,
teacher, leader, or coach sees you as a “2” would you be willing to work harder
for them?
When a
teacher, boss, coach or leader sees you as a “10” – as capable and competent
aren’t you willing to work harder for them?
At 17, I
auditioned for Professor Peter Zaret for a full scholarship to attend Virginia
Commonwealth University. He was tall, dark, and handsome, neatly dressed
wearing a big smile. I played well at the audition and he offered me a full
scholarship to the University, which I accepted. Professor Zaret made me feel
like a “10” and I was willing to work hard and do my very best work for him. At
his invitation I became a member of the Richmond Symphony and assisted him in
teaching his adult beginning violin class. During that school year I was a
violin student of Professor Zaret . He suggested at the end of the year that I
audition for the Juilliard School. He was a wonderful mentor during that year
at VCU and encouraged, inspired, and motivated me.
At each
stage of your life’s journey you will have a different mentor to encourage,
inspire, and motivate you.
Think back
over each stage of your journey and write down the different mentors who saw
you as a “10” and encouraged, inspired, and motivated you!
When I was
18 years I moved to NYC and lived in the Swiss Town House. My roommate was a
lovely young woman named Anna Brady. She was a talented violist and artist, a
few years older than me, also attending the Juilliard School. She was from a
family of 10 children from New Jersey.
We became
good friends and she was one of my first mentors at Juilliard. My violin
teacher at the time thought of me as a “4”.
Anna said
to me one day, “Come with me to meet my teacher Professor William Lincer. You
will love him!”
I went
with Anna and she introduced me to her teacher Professor Lincer. He was an
older tall and distinguished man with dark hair with some gray, a mustache, and
wore a big smile. He made an appointment to hear me play my violin for him.
After I
played for him he called me a “red hot fiddler’’ and invited me to join his
chamber music class even though it was full. Professor Lincer took me under his
wing.
That was
the day I discovered Professor Lincer thought I was a “10”. On that day he
became my mentor. At the end of the school year I re-auditioned at the
Juilliard to become a student of Professor Lincer full time.
Professor
Lincer encouraged, motivated, and inspired his students. He took them under his
wing. All his students loved and cared about him because he cared about his
students. He was interested in training his students to not only be wonderful
musicians but to be good thinkers. He had book assignments for reading outside
of class and had you write a short book report. He also sent his students to
Yoga classes to loosen up and Alexander Classes to teach coordination, balance,
and movement. Professor Lincer would also check to make sure you showed up at
these classes. He never left a student high and dry! He made sure his students
succeeded and graduated with their Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D.’s. He never
gave up! Anna Brady graduated with her Masters at Juilliard and so did I. He
thought of each of his students as a “10” and inspired, motivated, and worked
with his students to help them reach their goals. His students adored him!
Through
your life’s journey you will have many mentors! You will have a mentor for
every part of your journey just like my mentors Mr. Whitson, Professor Zaret,
Anna Brady, and Professor Lincer.
Remember
to thank them and develop others just like your mentors developed you.
What are the three things you can do to be a
great mentor?
1) Dr.
John Maxwell says, “Make people development your top priority and see everyone
you mentor as a 10.” Lift them up: The person you mentor wants to feel
important, capable, and competent. Help them by raising their skills.
Encourage, inspire and motivate them. Take them under your wing like Mr.
Whitson, Professor Zaret, Anna Brady, and Professor Lincer did for me.
2)
Ask the people you mentor for their story and what their dream or goal is.
Remember to encourage, inspire, and motivate them to reach their goals. Mentors
stand behind the person they are mentoring until they are ready to solo and fly
on their own.
3)
Care about the person you are mentoring and want the very best for them.
Remember
through life you will have many mentors. They can be teachers, coaches, bosses,
leaders, friends, and family members. These mentors will see you as a “10” and
will share books, tapes, suggest courses, and will lift you up, encourage and
motivate you to increase your knowledge to reach your goals.
Mentors
stay the course:
1) Your
mentor shows you how to do the work. (“Models”) The person being mentored
watches!
2) The
person being mentored does it and the mentor watches over them to see if they
need help.
3) The
person being mentored tries it solo. The mentor sees if they are ready to solo
on their own and fly.
Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM is an
Amazon.com Best Selling Author, John Maxwell Team Member, Certified World Class
Speaking Coach, sought after speaker, business owner, motivational teacher,
researcher, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations
"Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the
blue prints necessary to improve and keep your business successful. She writes
a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly article & Musical Tips
Blog" and a monthly radio show "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio
Show". She has just published her new book "Leadership On A
Shoestring Budget" available on Amazon or Kindle.