The Problem with Drive by Mentoring

The Problem with Drive by Mentoring

I grew up on a farm. One of my chores in junior and senior high was milking a cow early morning and late afternoon. It was our family’s source for milk, butter and cheese. Cow milking today involves machines and computers. Cow milking—the old fashioned way—involved an...
Serving through the Lens of a Mentor

Serving through the Lens of a Mentor

Kitchen floors in the 1950’s and ‘60’s were largely linoleum. I remembered getting chored with cleaning those floors with a harsh abrasive like Ajax or Comet and then waxing them. My scrubbing days ended, however, when Armstrong came out with the innovative Solarian...
Mentoring as a Texas Rig

Mentoring as a Texas Rig

“Give me a fish and I eat for a day; teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime.” It is a line we have heard most of our lives. And, really great fishing lessons…at least in Texas…would always include instruction on the famous Texas rig. Anglers with a...
Conducting the Learning Symphony

Conducting the Learning Symphony

The first violinist-conductor of a Johann Strauss concert literally leapt from his seat as the chamber orchestra performed the Champagne Waltz. It was if the composer himself was present–especially since this concert was occurring in the very hall where Strauss...
The Mentor as Diversitist

The Mentor as Diversitist

Bet you have not seen that “d” word before. But, think about it. A segregationist supports all vegetables served separately—no tossed salad. An abolitionist negatively argues for doing away with any type of separation—no vegetable section in the grocery store. But, a...
And the winner is…”And!”

And the winner is…”And!”

Seventy-five percent of corporate mergers fail because of conflicts in leader relationships. Over 50% of marriages end in divorce, largely due to communications. Corporate and marriage counselors will tell you, “It’s not that the parties in the union were talking and...