|
I became an entrepreneur by modeling Piyush Patel and Robert Siegel, two of my favorite clients when I was a start-up attorney – I revered their audacity! As I fumbled into my new chapter, I emulated them until I felt confident leading my business.
When David Letterman interviewed Adam Sandler for his Netflix show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, Sandler revealed a similar strategy that gave him the courage to perform on comedy club stages as a teenager. “I was 17. I didn’t know what I was yet. I would watch so many great comedians and think, ‘I guess I’ll be like that guy.’ More like Steve Martin, for example.” Sandler tried on comedians. “Colin Quinn, a great comedian and a nice guy, was the emcee at a club where I was doing standup and bombing on stage. He commented, ‘You know, you make me laugh a little bit more off stage.’ Of course, I got my feelings hurt”. Quinn added, “What I’m saying is when you tell me stories about growing up Jewish in New Hampshire, that stuff makes me laugh. Maybe you should talk about that a little more on stage…” While Quinn’s contribution felt raw, it validated Sandler’s comedic gift and helped him confidently become himself on stage. Modeling helps us navigate the nefarious power of imposter syndrome. Like covert mentoring, we observe the behaviors of those we respect and admire to mold our own. In psychology, this observational learning is referred to as “Social Cognitive Theory.” It’s not dissimilar to asking for advice and then experimenting with recommendations offered. Imitation gives us the courage to take action, while action gives us the confidence to evolve into our own version. We mirror people we admire until we determine who we want to be.
Even Warren Buffett believes in the power of modeling and mentoring. Buffett once told a young shareholder, “It’s better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours, and you’ll drift in that direction.” In his final letter to shareholders as the retiring CEO of Berkshire Hathaway in November 2025, Buffett mused, “Choose your heroes very carefully and then emulate them. You will never be perfect, but you can always be better.” Choose heroes. Emulate them. Always improve. © 2026. Ann Tardy and MentorLead. www.mentorlead.com. All Rights Reserved. |