Mentoring: Who benefits? The Jedi or the Padiwan: DeMarco Banter

I am truly blessed to work with some of the most outstanding young minds and leaders in the world… they honestly humble me everyday.  The United States Air Force recruits and trains the finest people in the world and to be an “old man” and a “positional” leader is a gift I relish daily.

One of several things I am passionate about is creating tomorrow’s leaders today and doing all I can to pour life’s stories and experiences into these stellar Americans.

Finding the top leaders in an incredible group is difficult as there is no lack of talent in today’s military and the best and second best are separated be mere millimeters.

Pondering how do we “launch these leaders”:  AND how this might translate to business and the world outside the military.

It would seem that a mentor’s (leader’s, CEO’s) influence and productivity grow when they identify potential leaders and develop them… the intention in developing leaders might appear outwardly to help others improve themselves–BUT the mentor/leader/CEO will also benefit greatly or so has been my experience.  I find myself researching leadership styles, collaboration tools, social media, and even current music in an attempt to stay relevant and be able to connect with our next generation of leaders.

Spending time with these young leaders has honestly helped me to stay young, helped me to expand my ideas and my mind–a lot like investing.

They grow–true, but at the same time, I have reaped incredible dividends.  So really to get to the “next level,” we have to extend ourselves through others…when we find these leaders…develop them through our personal Leadership Factory…pour our lives into them, and they improve… but so do we.

For more on generational mentoring check out Andy Christensen’s book The 40/40 Principle

Thoughts?