One Minute Mentoring: How to find and work with a mentor - and why you’ll benefit from being one. Ken Blanchard

      “Yeah, but I haven’t had time to plan a party.”

      “Well, if you have a party and I’m invited, I’d better not see any retirement signs up anywhere. At least not until you try mentoring someone first.”

      “It wouldn’t be a party without you, Warren. And it won’t be a retirement party—yet. Thanks for the pep talk.”

      ONE MINUTE INSIGHTS

      Pause, Reflect, and Learn

       Have you avoided becoming a mentor because you think it takes too much time?

       Being a mentor—while it does require regular communication—isn’t a full-time job.

       Most people are energized by their mentoring relationships; you likely will be as well.

       By setting the intention to find a mentee, you’ll become more open to potential mentoring partnerships all around you.

       The Search

      When Josh got home to his apartment that night, Dev was tinkering with a computer on the dining room table.

      “Replacing the hard drive,” Dev explained.

      As Dev worked, Josh told him about the conversation he had with his parents and brother about finding a mentor.

      “My boss suggested I ask Eric, the young guy who shares my cubicle, to be my mentor. I don’t mind learning stuff from him, but I’d love to find an older person with more extensive experience as a mentor. Someone who could help me figure out if sales is even the right career for me. Any suggestions?”

      Dev took a moment to think. “Most of my contacts are tech geeks our age, so I don’t think they’d be much help. But I do have an uncle who’s been in sales for years. He’s quite successful. Want me to introduce you?”

      “Sounds like a good start,” said Josh.

      *

      Two days later Josh was sitting in a restaurant with Dev’s uncle, Ron, a sharply dressed man in his fifties. Ron certainly looked to be the picture of success.

      “Dev tells me you’re trying to decide if sales is right for you. Let me be the first one to tell you—if you want to make money, stick with sales! It’s the only job where the sky’s the limit. The rest of these jobs, they give you a salary and then you’ve got to beg at the end of the year for a bonus. Beg! My salary is under my control. It just depends on how hard I want to work and the number of sales I want to make. Period.”

      “I was hoping that would be the case with me,” said Josh, “but I’m finding it easier said than done.”

      Ron pointed a finger in Josh’s face. “Tenacity is what you need! It doesn’t always come easy, so you gotta stick with it and put in the hours. What’s getting in the way of you putting all your time and energy into your job? Are you living and breathing sales?”

      “Well, I do have a life outside of work. I spend time being a Big Brother to a kid named Ricky. I also like to stay in shape, so I go hiking or play basketball with Dev and our friends on the weekends. It’s good to keep balance in my life, right?”

      “Forget balance! You’ve got to remember: sales is where the action is. The company depends on you. Once you’re making big money then