4 Mentors You Need to be a Modern Leader
(PC: BlessingWhite)
How do I become a great leader?
If you have ever met one, you probably have asked yourself that question.
I remember asking one of my mentors during my last semester at bible college, "Joe, what advice do you have for me when I graduate?" His reply was so profound and so simple that I have never forgot it: "Brian, never stop learning."
Never stop learning....
I believe the greatest leaders are the greatest learners. In other words, great leaders are not born overnight. Instead, their greatness is developed over time. Leadership is a learning process, and those who passionately dedicate themselves to to it often times become great at it.
And with the advent of modern technology, there has never been a time in history where learning to become a great leader has been more accessible.
If you want to become a great leader in the modern world, here are four mentors you need to have:
1. You Need an Audio Mentor
One of the best tools to improve your leadership is through podcasts. And there are many great ones out there.
Probably my favorite is Andy Stanley's Leadership Podcast. There is nobody more wise when it comes to leadership than Andy Stanley. The beauty of his podcast is that he gears it for every type of leader - pastors, managers, business owners, entrepreneurs, etc. - yet he still comes from a conservative Christian point of view.
Other great podcasts out there are the Jesus Culture Leadership Podcast, the Catalyst Podcast, and the Church Leaders Podcast.
You can listen to them on your phone, tablet, or computer. I like to download them to my phone using Podcast Addict and listen to them in my car. Easy, convenient, and incredibly beneficial.
2. You Need a Visual Mentor
One of the best ways to learn anything is through observation. One of the best ways to observe great leaders is through social media. Using popular apps, learning leaders are able to connect with great leaders in ways never seen a generation ago.
Even though great leaders might live half way across the globe, or lead organizations of thousands of people, through social media other leaders can learn from them by observing snapshots of their lives.
Instagram has been more beneficial to me for leadership than for anything else. By following some of my favorite leaders, I am able to get a glimpse into their lives outside the pulpit. I get to see what their hobbies are, how they love their families, and things that interest them. I find that to be much more helpful than reading a book on how to lead.
Periscope has become a new favorite of mine for leadership. Many of my favorite leaders who I follow on Instagram are now on Periscope. Recently I have watched them give leadership seminar's in their living room, Q&A sessions in their kitchen, and hilarious recording sessions in the studio. There is a laid back side of leaders that you don't get to see anywhere else.
3. You Need a Writing Mentor
One of the more common tools to learn how to lead is to read up on leadership. In previous generations, this was done through books. But in our modern world, it should be done through articles and feeds. Let me explain why.
Would you rather read what one source has to say about leadership, or what ten sources have to say about it? Would you rather wait for one book on leadership to come out every six months to a year or to read about leadership every single day?
If you love to learn, then you want to get as much information into your hands as possible.
This is where the beauty of the internet cloud comes in.
Some of my favorite sources for leadership are Church Pastors, Church Leaders, The Gospel Coalition, Pastors, Christianity Today's Leadership Journal, and Outreach Magazine.
But instead of having to daily go to each website one by one, I get all the websites to come to me. Anytime a new article comes out, I get it automatically.
I do this through a program called Feedly. I tell it what websites I want to follow, and it tells me the moment a new article comes out. The app is especially convenient. I can scroll through hundreds of articles in minutes and read the ones that interest me.
Literally throughout the entire day I am learning how to be a better leader through the comforts of my smartphone.
4. You Need a Personal Mentor
Even with all of the resources available to young leaders today, there is still no substitute for a real life mentor who can encourage you to become better.
I am so thankful for the dozen or so leaders who have personally helped me become a leader. I am grateful for my mom and dad, Craig and Corrin Flippen, Mike Rodriguez, Kim Wetmore, Dave Shirley, Joe Holden, Michael Lantz, and any others who took the time to mentor me.
Without them I would not be the person I am today.
What are some of your favorite ways to learn more about leadership?
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