Spirit Magazine - January 2014 - (Page 62)

professional," expresses a desire to secure you as a mentor, then proceeds to ask for more information about your work and how you might help them succeed. While that all-caps flattery may lure you into opening the message, you'll soon decide a mentee who doesn't bother to learn your name isn't likely to be worth your effort. Delete. "You need to demonstrate your potential, make a good impression, and [show] that you're worth getting behind," Woodward says. "They have to look at you as someone who is going to listen, take feedback, and do something with it." In choosing who to mentor, Edwards says he's most interested in those who prove they are willing to work. He tells his students, "There will always be people who are more talented than me, but no one will outwork me.'" His best tip, though, is the most fundamental one. "Early on, I saw the value in asking and receiving. Some people don't even ask." WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME? Of course, you can't have the Karate Kid without Mr. Miyagi, which means those with enviable skills must find worth in sharing their hard-earned wisdom. As it turns out, there are reasons aplenty. For those in senior positions, Woodward says, "It's a good way to get perspective. It's a way to be reminded of what it's like to start out. It's also a way to give back." But there's more to it than fulfilling some karmic professional obligation; you may just learn something. Edwards says his students often remind him he doesn't know everything. "This industry is young and current. When I'm mentoring, I'm learning from them as well, so I see it as a trade." Don't take on a protégé just to say you have one, Edwards advises. "Not everyone is cut out to be a mentor. It's something people like to say they are," but it can be counterproductive if handled poorly. SO MAYBE IT'S TIME to consider whether a mentor can help you launch or make it to the next rung. If you do find yourself in a symbiotic relationship with a knowledgeable colleague, remember to keep a good thing going. As Edwards relates to each of his students, "I wouldn't have achieved all of this without guidance, so I challenge them to mentor not one, but two, so it keeps multiplying. That's what it's about. If it stops with you, the chain ends." Jill Coody Smits is an Austin, Texas- based journalist. Find her online at blueseedcommunications.com. http://wallypark.com http://www.blueseedcommunications.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - January 2014

Spirit Magazine - January 2014
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Do Detective Work
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
Blend Bourbon and Bitters
Munch on Mozzarella
Rendezvous in Rosemary Beach
Wise Guide
Communicate With Confidence
Put a Stop to Stalling
The Numbers
Make or Break a Beauty Habit
Keep a Secret
Business
Plan a Day in Providence
Secure a Career Coach
Get in the Games
The Long Run
Your Adventure in Wichita
Promotional Series: New Year, New You
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Products & Services
Flight Service
Terminal Maps
Information
Rapid Rewards and A+ Rewards Partners
Route Map
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - January 2014