If you ask people to fill in the following sentence, “Tis the season to….” , they could complete it in many ways. For example some people might say, to be jolly, or to get together with friends, or to enjoy our favorite holiday traditions. These are all wonderful ways to celebrate the season, and we should definitely make time for these activities.
Leaders, however, would do well to consider how they can give an invaluable gift to their teams this season. Mentoring team members to develop their leadership skills allows them to engage in meaningful ways and speak into the direction of your organization. There are few things more powerful to engage talented team members than to experience shared ownership in your organization.
Your value also increases exponentially to the organization. No matter how talented or efficient, one person can only accomplish so much, but when multiplied through others, their efforts are much more impactful. Rather than just focusing on what can we achieve on our own, consider how to have even greater influence through investing in the development of rising leaders.
Some leaders hesitate, feeling that they do not have enough experience, or know enough to mentor someone. The key to mentoring someone is not your longevity; it is helping someone you lead to apply what you have learned in their own work and journey. Leadership is about influencing others, and mentoring is a key way in which you can impact their development and work.
A community organization that is doing great work around leadership development is New City Kids Grand Rapids. This organization‘s focus is to provide children and teens with the opportunity for development in four key areas: spiritual, leadership, academic, and musical. They pour into teens to develop their leadership skills as they in turn work with younger children who need a positive place to come.
The result? 100% high school graduation rate since 2014, 97% of New City Kids alumni are employed, and 87% want to serve their communities as an adult. These results demonstrate the impact you can have as a leader when you prioritize investing in others. As you listen to our podcast with their executive director to learn more about their organization and mission, ask yourself who do you want to mentor?
