An overwhelming majority of leaders I speak with today attribute a large portion of their success to formal or informal mentorships.  They all carry the same common denominator: experienced professionals willing to invest time and resources in order to develop others.

During my third year in law school, I was given the opportunity to travel overseas for a short-term assignment with a small IP Management company in Switzerland.  I had traveled internationally for other jobs, but this trip was the first time I had been given the chance to showcase my legal education in a foreign environment.  I probably didn’t deserve the opportunity, but I was extremely grateful for it. 

My work in Switzerland then gave me a leg up in my interview and onboarding with a Chicago-based family office.  The primary family business was healthcare-based and provided a world of opportunity to young leaders, like me, who were hungry for development. 

But the greatest gift this family office provided was an opportunity to partner with seasoned leadership through a professionally administered Accelerated Development Program.  Beyond the 14-month exploration of leadership topics (the art & science of influence, the psychology of high-performance teams, and strategic decision-making, to name a few), the greatest growth opportunity this family gave to me was its mentorship program.  This program paired young professionals like me with seasoned C-suite leadership. I was blessed to be paired with Steve Bonner, then the CEO of the company.

Almost fifteen years later, I still credit Steve and his investment in my growth as one of the most crucial contributions to my development as a leader.   I learned more from my early-morning 1:1s with Steve than any undergraduate or graduate level course.   As both a lawyer and respected C-Suite for decades, Steve’s approach to the art of leadership gave me a birds-eye view of a world of personalities, behaviors, and egos that I had not yet come to appreciate.  Sure, a leader had to be able to set the vision and develop the strategy, but he also had to have an EQ that was so finely tuned that he could  see an issue brewing before it had a chance to fester.  I continue to count Steve as one of my closest advisors and friends and could not be more grateful for his guidance both then and now.

Our obligation as leaders extends well beyond our fiduciary duties to our boards and executive teams.  As leaders, we often have multiple priorities competing for our daily attention.  As the work piles up and the days are consumed by endless meetings and deliverables, we must not forget that we carry an obligation to shepherd in the next generation of leadership.  Those that follow in our footsteps should also seek out these mentor relationships to ensure this gift is not lost.   True leadership is a team sport.

For more information on mentorship and the process  of becoming either a Mentor or Mentee, visit Lois Zachary’s work at The Mentor's Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships, 2nd Edition