Five Ways to Find a Mentor

This is a guest post by Daniel Darling. He is the Senior Pastor of Gages Lake Bible Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and is the author of iFaith, Connecting with God in the 21st Century. You can read his blog or follow him on Twitter. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

The value of a mentor cannot be overestimated. A mentor is someone who is a few laps ahead of you in an area of life where you wish to find success. More than formal training, more than a book or a seminar, a good mentor brings his or her personal experience to bear on your life in a way that may shape it forever.

A Mentor Talking to His Mentee - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/asiseeit, Image #9854027

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/asiseeit

But how to find one? It’s actually easier than you think. Here are five ways to find a mentor:

When You Feel Overwhelmed by Your Workload

I often write and speak on workload management. But even I occasionally get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of requests and assignments. I’m in such a state right now.

Man Buried in Paperwork - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/VallarieE, Image #9744255

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/VallarieE

In the last week I’ve attended board meetings for three different companies. Two were out of town. In addition, I have spoken publicly five times and am right in the middle of reviewing the copy-edited manuscript for my new book.

Is It an Obstacle or an Opportunity?

If you want to improve the quality of your life or business, planning is essential. You have to be honest about your current reality, envision a better future, and then create a roadmap for getting from one to the other.

But having a solid plan is no guarantee against encountering problems along the way. As a mentor of mine used to say, “Doo-doo occurs.”

My Experience Using a Virtual Assistant

I left my role as CEO of Thomas Nelson in April 2011. I thought I could get by without an assistant. Boy, was I wrong.

As a result of greater focus on writing, my blog traffic spiked and my comment load doubled. I started getting more email. I had to book my own travel. I soon felt overwhelmed.

Why Vision Is More Important Than Strategy

Vision and strategy are both important. But there is a priority to them. Vision always comes first. Always. If you have a clear vision, you will eventually attract the right strategy. If you don’t have a clear vision, no strategy will save you.

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/MAEK123, Image #2813602

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/MAEK123

I have seen this over and over again in my professional and personal life. Once I got clear on what I wanted, the how almost took care of itself. Let me give you an example.

Leadership Starts at Home

This is a guest post by Kelly Combs. She is a full-time housewife and mom. She blogs at ChattyKelly. You can also follow her on Twitter. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

I am not your average leader. My leadership decisions don’t affect the boardroom, but they do the future of the world because I am raising two future leaders. I am a domestic engineer, a home economist, a housewife, a mom. I have found that my leadership at home has taught me lessons that any leader, whether in the board room or the laundry room, can use.

Mom Walking Baby in an Infant Jogger - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/DNY59, Image #583369

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/DNY59
  1. If it stinks, change it. This philosophy applies to diapers and to decisions. As leaders, sometimes we may “own” an idea so tightly, that even when shown data that the idea is failing, we keep holding on to it. A leader should be able to change. As Gary Shapiro, president and chief executive of Consumer Electronics Association and co-author of a book on innovation puts it, “Mistakes are OK—hiding them is not.”

The Difference a Little Extra Effort Makes

Sometimes, success is simply a matter of making one small adjustment. For example, at 211 degrees, water is hot. But at 212 degrees it boils. This makes all the difference.

Sam Parker and Mac Anderson expanded on this simple metaphor in their short book, 212°: the Extra Degree. They wrote,

I will be leading one of the Catalyst Labs on the subject of my new book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World.

The Power of Asking the Right Question

A few weeks ago, I sat down with an old friend to catch up. He lost his job about nine months ago in a recession-induced layoff and has been unable to find another job. He’s had plenty of interviews just no offers.

Businessman Asking Himself a Question - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/stevanovicigor, Image #17007805

“What’s wrong with me?” he asked. “Why won’t someone offer me a job?” He was clearly discouraged.

10 Ways to Generate More Blog Traffic

Whenever I speak on the topic of platform-building, someone always asks, “How can I generate more traffic for my blog?” Most are hoping I have a silver bullet, something that will instantly get them the recognition they deserve.

A Big Traffic Jam - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/burwellphotography, Image #18043823

The bad news is that it’s not quite that simple. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is a platform. It takes doing several things right—and doing them over a long period of time.

5 Rules for More Effective Presentations

Presentation software can be a wonderful tool if used correctly. It can also be a dangerous distraction that interferes with communication rather than facilitating it. The line between the two is thin.

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/mbbirdy, Image #4746463

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/mbbirdy

Over the course of my career, I have sat through hundreds of presentations. Most of them were done with PowerPoint. Most of them are done poorly.

BlissDom is the premiere conference for women who find and express their bliss by publishing online. I am so excited to be speaking at this year’s conference. Their new format looks terrific!

10 Mistakes Leaders Should Avoid at All Costs

This is a guest post by Enrique P. Fiallo. He is an author, speaker, and blogger on purposeful leadership. He focuses on Integrity, Ethics, Values, Team Dynamics, and Perseverance. You can read his blog or follow him on Twitter.

No one is perfect. No one can be right 100 percent of the time (even if you are Jack Welch or Steve Jobs), including an organization’s leaders. But there are mistakes, and then there are MISTAKES.

Man About to Step on a Banana Peel - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/RapidEye, Image #17409874

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/RapidEye

I have found 10 basic essentials that all leaders should have on their list entitled “things to avoid at all costs,” lest they end up on the wrong end of a no-confidence Board vote, a Shareholder lawsuit, or worst of all, an SEC subpoena.

10 Practical Ways to Boost Your Energy Level

I am a high-energy person. But I haven’t always been that way. There have been times in my life when I was utterly exhausted. Times when getting through the day was a big chore. Times when I had nothing left to give by the end of the day. Times when I just wanted to collapse into bed and pull the covers over my head.

Beautiful Young Woman Jumping on a Green Meadow with a Colored Scarf - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/erikreis, Image #12345727

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/erikreis

But in recent years, I am been very deliberate about managing my energy level. I did a lot of reading on this and took the time to educate myself. I experimented. I tried some new things. I broke some old habits. Now, my energy level remains pretty constant through the day.

This is a conference for ministry leaders, business administrators, church staff, and others. (This the first of two presentations.)

This is a conference for ministry leaders, business administrators, church staff, and others. (This the second of two presentations.)

How Differences with Your Spouse Can Make Your Marriage Stronger

I hear it all the time. “My husband [or wife] doesn’t understand me. We are so different. We don’t really have anything in common.”

Apples and Oranges - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/bluestocking, Image #3501504

When I first met Gail, I was attracted to her precisely because she was different. Sadly, after a few years, these same differences started to annoy me. In fact, I began to think that my approach to live was right and hers wrong.

I get to speak to the student assembly, which is made up of 7th to 12th grade boys. They are studying the topic of leadership this year.

I will be speaking on one of my favorite topics, leading from the heart. As this is more important than your education, your experience, or your skills. (This is day two of the conference.)

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