When rookie quarterback Mark Willis joined the Tennessee Titans, veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill commented in a press conference, “We’re competing against each other. I don’t think it’s my job to mentor him, but if he learns from me along the way, then that’s a great thing.”
His statement sparked a thunderstorm! NFL mentors rushed out of every corner to declare their commitment to mentoring others:
While we all need people on our team like Mariota, Kelce, and Warner, we also need to identify people like Tannehill – not to castigate their approach but to welcome their honesty. Not everyone likes to mentor. Not everyone considers it essential to share their wisdom, especially with their future replacements. And not everyone is on a mission to support other people’s success. And that’s OK. But if we guilt or shame these people into mentoring, we will invariably end up with a gaggle of mentors who don’t want to mentor. And that ruins the journey for both parties – the displeased mentors and the unfortunate mentees. Instead, let’s create mentoring structures that attract, encourage, support, and acknowledge those who value mentoring others without punishing those who don’t. Mentoring is a gratifying, leadership strengthening experience… but only for those who believe it is. Find them. Foster their potential to make a difference, and your rookies will be well cared for. © 2022. Ann Tardy and MentorLead. www.mentorlead.com. All Rights Reserved. |