More Than a Mentor

“Cooperative Venturing”

More Than a Mentor

It’s great to have a mentor.  A mentor gives companionship and transfers valuable knowledge to the apprentice.  It is little wonder then, that wherever I look, persons and institutions are offering programs to mentor their clientele.

 It is true that one person can change the course of another and even that of an institution or of a nation or world.  We would call such persons leaders, people who can show a better way for others to follow.  But, true leadership is more than a mere statement of mentorship.

I’ve observed that perhaps the most important ingredient in mentoring goes beyond a declaration.  It must be rooted in selfless caring.  That’s because the most effective relationships are defined by love.  A person offering assistance for the purpose of personal gain will never be a true mentor or leader.  They are simply greedy people and greed will always fall short in the end. 

When the people, who are to be served, understand a selfish mentor’s motivation they will quickly flee to what they desire, a generous giver who hopes only to add value for the sake of sharing and creating.  And, true sharing can only come from a heart without duplicity.  How does such a thing come to pass?  It comes from the foundation of purpose.

Wayne Brown Institute was formed on a firm foundation with such a purpose, to improve the human condition by direct transfer of specialized knowledge with personal caring.  I have spent the last twenty-five years working with participating professionals and have documented their success.  I feel grateful to have spent almost half of my life with amazing people who have shaped me as an individual and have allowed me to be part of creating a more successful paradigm than that of individual mentoring.  We call it Cooperative Venturing™.

When I said it was great to have a mentor, I meant it.  But having more than one mentor is of greater benefit than having one mentor.  The reason is simple.  It is impossible for one person to have as much experience and knowledge as a combination of many doyens.  Can you imagine having such a group of uniquely skilled and long experienced experts all working in concert for your personal success without charge?

I sat at a table with four other Cooperative Venturers this week.  We were reviewing the results of a new component to Cooperative Venturing that was rolled out in the fall.  I looked around the room and felt my heart swell with gratitude for being able to learn at the feet of such people!  The results of our efforts were as we had hoped so we are making plans to put a framework in place for expanded success.

Expanded success will mean more high paying jobs for our community.  It means that our tax base will improve and that more wealth will flow into our homes than ever before.  But, most importantly, it means our best and brightest are giving themselves to future generations by instilling their knowledge and experience into a new generation of talented apprentices.

We are all apprentices.  I realize this more and more as I interact with Cooperative Venturers.  We all have the ability to receive.  We all have the ability to give.  Join us and become both a giver and receiver.  Become part of the Cooperative Venturing Network™. http://www.venturecapital.org