I left that meeting with a list of individuals representing a variety of vocations, experience, and geography. Over the last three years as I traveled, and thanks to their hospitality, I met with the individuals named to me in that early Leadership Conference. I spent a lunch, a coffee break, or in some cases, a half-day with these individuals, to help me as I continue to refine and shape my vision and work with choral conductors. I also received some great personal advice from these leaders. I took their lessons, wrote them all down, and reflect on their offerings regularly.
Many choral leaders face 2012 with dreams of a sabbatical leave, a new lease on life, a new vocation or job, a new set of colleagues, a new dean, a new pastor, or some other version of "greener grass" on the other side of the fence. Indeed, these sorts of changes may be exactly what is needed for some. For everyone, no matter what you may face in 2012, I recommend some version of the mentoring exercise that I have followed for the last three years as you reflect on your tasks in the new year. The following tips are lessons I learned from the process I used as I set up my ongoing conversations with my "occasional" mentors:
- Outstanding individuals are all around you; you don't need to think "distance" or "big names", but you do need to get beyond any competitive arena in which you may currently work;
- Everyone has a "Top Ten" or "Desert Island" book that has not been written; there is something crystalizing about asking a person to share their list;
- Carefuly think-through your request to these individuals toward a conversation; you need to simply be transparent, and simply state you are trying to get better at what you do;
- As complicated as anyone's life is, their axioms can usually be stated over lunch; you don't need to ask them for a full day;
- Don't talk, even if their axiom seems self-apparent; listen for how the particular axiom or insight made a difference for this mentor.
If the idea of contacting a complete, though respected, stranger does not appeal to you, then try the following excercise as a reflection toward the same results. Using an idea from the Hebrew sciptures, it may be helpful to reflect on the idea of restoring the joy of your original calling (Psalm 51:12, my paraphrase).
With the idea of following the original inspiration or spark that brought you to your work or vocation, reflect on the following:
- What leadership characteristics do you recall of your early conductors or leaders?
- What leadership characteristics do you recall of your early influential peers?
While thinking of the tasks and challenges of the coming year, ponder how one of the above mentors would have dealt with your current situations. Or, by stepping back from personalities, think about the leadership characteristics that you admire in those earlier leaders/mentors, and see if those axioms or ideas can be applied to your world.
Successful people turn everyone who can help them into sometime mentors. John Crosby
To do right is wonderful. To teach others to do right is even more wonderful. Mark Twain
Gary Weidenaar says