‘You walked with me and held my hand and were there for me during the tough times of my life… you guided and shared but above all you cared…. You helped me be who I was meant to be! Wthout judgement, somehow, you just understood me and helped me grow and excel. But most of all you always believed in me and I am what I am because of you. Thank you for your time and care. And for believing in me when I was unsure’

Hard work, a positive attitude and talent are probably the secret sauce for career success. Add to that a dash of mentoring and it becomes a game changer.  Mentoring is a sure shot route for sustainable success and growth. It is no wonder then, that so many successful people across the globe have been vocal about the role their mentor played in their success story.

My success has truly been thanks to the numerous mentors I have had the privilege of meeting. My mentors came in different roles, ages and genders. A boss, a peer, a team member, a friend, a busy senior leader.  Sometimes I approached them and at other times they were just there at the right time as a guiding star. At times I didn’t even associate them as being a mentor in the way we understand mentors. But in hindsight I realized that they mentored me and I am so much the better from the experience.

Mentors share their pearls of wisdom and change a life forever. I have indeed had the great fortune to have such great mentors who shaped me, gave me the feedback I needed to hear and allowed me the space to become who I was meant to be. They offered a hand, an ear, a heart, an honest opinion, a tough message, a kick, a push, a nudge, some encouragement, appreciation, confidence and so much more.  

They were brutally honest with me, and pointed out what I couldn’t see. They shared a different perspective. At times a simple statement, so profound, that it changed my view and shifted my paradigm.

My mentors were stingy with giving me answers or doling out solutions. They ensured I did the heavy lifting to find my own answers. My questions were answered with even more questions! Tough questions which made me think and reflect. It made me explore aspects I had not considered before to discover new solutions. When I was done, they would surely add on their perspective and comments but always allow me the final choice of deciding.

Trust is the bedrock of a great mentoring relationship. My mentors were trustworthy allowing me the time and space to share my deepest fears and vulnerabilities with them and knowing that I would not be judged, and knowing that they were there to support me as I find my solution.

I have not taken every advice they gave me. I have not acted in line with all their suggestions. I have often chosen to ignore their feedback. And yet…. it was alright. I never felt like I was accountable to them to do as they wanted. My mentors understood and allowed me the choice of deciding. They never held it against me. And for that I am immensely grateful.  I had no pressure to be like them or think like them. I could be the me that I was meant to be.

Even today, they are just a call away.

Thanks, my dear mentors, from the bottom of my heart!