[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_heading title=”Blessed with some truly amazing men and women on our Mentoring Development Team for Leadership Design Group (LDG), I watched them interacting at dinner recently. ” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”]
Animated conversations were taking place. They had journeyed to Colorado from around the country.
Most of these good souls I’ve mentored in some form or fashion over the years. Stories abound from their lives from sad to wonderful, timid to courageous.
One man I’ve known since he was 12 is now approaching 60; now retired from a long and distinguished military career. This friend is on our core leadership team for LDG
One couple I’ve mentored for 20 years. He is a minister/mentor of a thriving church in the heartland of the US of A. This friend is also on our core LDG leadership team.
The wife of this couple is becoming a leading advocate in their state with regard to the terror of human trafficking and the the radical possibilities of recovery.
Two of the business men are approaching 40, both with young families.
One I “talked” out of going to grad school and watched him become the entrepreneur he is today.
One man, of increasing international influence, I’ve mentored for 10 years now, had his 9 year old son along because, in part, he wanted to have a unique, carefully crafted father/son time and he wanted his son to observe some fairly vibrant people.
One good woman, spent too much of her life feeling invisible. She was eloquent. Far from invisible with her care and wisdom.
Another man, who had interned with me coming out of grad school years back, brought some much needed, clearer focus to one of the mentoring tools we are developing.
A solid, dynamic global leader from Africa is a most welcome member of our team. He will be guiding us into how we take this mentoring model into the future around the world.
There was a common “something” that really impressed me about these friends and co-workers. What I observed brought to mind one of the most life-giving tools of mentoring.
The best mentors I know, like these truly remarkable friends, all have the same exceptional habit.
Not only do they listen well, but they take the time to pause, listen, pause, wait, keep looking, with intentional meaning, care and genuine interest.
Their very interactions that night reminded me of what I need to consciously, intentionally be about when in anyone’s presence.
Pause, don’t just glance at, but look, with care, into the person facing you.
Pause.
Don’t distract from the moment and begin to look around.
Pause.
Give the gift of time to gather their thoughts to the one you are conversing with.
Stop? Often.
Look? A warm pause will speak volumes to let that person know you are genuinely interested in them.
Listen? That really does begin with your eyes. You hear with your ears. However, the best of friends, parents, associates, mentors listen with their eyes.
Our deeply valued LDG Mentoring Development Team members do this so well. It’s become their good habit.
It takes practice, they would tell you.
It takes developing and practicing the art of focusing, which is fueled by intentional pauses.
We both see and hear with our ears.
We both hear and see with our eyes.
Whether casual conversation or intentional, deep-change, whole-life, transformational mentoring, our eyes and our ears become powerful tools to encourage changing lives.
The best of mentoring moments, the best of friendship moments, the best of business moments, the best of any relational moments always begin with looking and listening.
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