GROW

The Secret Ingredient That Can Turn You Into A Great Leader

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Dear G.R.O.W. Community,

Yesterday, our nation paused to honor the brave men and women who have served in our armed forces. As we reflect on their sacrifice and dedication, I'm struck by how perfectly this ties into our theme of leadership this week. Our veterans embody the highest principles of leadership – sacrifice, dedication, and the commitment to serve something greater than themselves.

Speaking of passing on the torch, I'm excited to share insights with you this week about leadership and mentorship through the lens of my 36-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The journey from federal government service to founding A Few Good MENtors has taught me invaluable lessons about how leadership skills evolve and adapt across different phases of life. My experiences investigating complex cases, leading teams, and building trust in diverse communities have shaped my approach to mentorship. These lessons – from strategic thinking to empathetic listening – demonstrate how leadership principles transcend career boundaries and create lasting impact in our mentoring relationships.

In this edition, we're diving deep into servant leadership—a concept that aligns beautifully with our mentorship mission and the selfless service demonstrated by our veterans. We'll explore how this powerful leadership approach can transform our mentoring relationships and our entire community.

Remember, as members of the G.R.O.W. community, we're not just building better mentors – we're cultivating the leaders of tomorrow. Whether you're a mentor, mentee, or supporter, you play a crucial role in this mission. The skills we discuss, the stories we share, and the challenges we tackle all contribute to a stronger, more connected community.

So, as we honor our veterans and explore leadership this week, I encourage you to think about your leadership journey. How has mentorship shaped your path? What leadership lessons have you learned, and more importantly, what wisdom are you passing on to others?

Let's grow together and remember Guidance Redefines Our Way (G.R.O.W.)!

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GROWTH GATEWAY

The Heart of Servant Leadership

"True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not to enrich the leader." - John C. Maxwell

Servant leadership transforms the traditional leadership pyramid. Instead of standing at the top directing others, servant leaders position themselves at the foundation, supporting and elevating those around them. This approach creates stronger mentors, more confident mentees, and thriving communities.

Core Principles of Servant Leadership

The essence of servant leadership rests on five fundamental principles:

  1. Listen First, Speak Second

    • Focus on understanding before being understood

    • Create space for others to share ideas and concerns

    • Practice active listening in every interaction

  2. Empower Others to Grow

    • Identify and nurture potential in others

    • Provide opportunities for skill development

    • Celebrate others' successes as they progress

  3. Build Community

    • Foster connections between team members

    • Create environments where trust flourishes

    • Encourage collaboration over competition

  4. Think Long-Term

    • Focus on sustainable growth over quick wins

    • Consider the impact of decisions on the entire organization

    • Invest in people's development for lasting change

  5. Lead with Integrity

    • Maintain consistency between words and actions

    • Take responsibility for outcomes

    • Make decisions based on ethical principles

Servant Leadership in Mentorship

Servant leadership naturally aligns with effective mentorship. When mentors embrace this approach, they:

  • Focus on mentees' goals rather than their agenda

  • Create safe spaces for experimentation and learning

  • Share knowledge openly without expectation of a return

  • Support mentees in developing their unique leadership style

Practical Applications

Transform these principles into action through:

Daily Practices:

  • Begin meetings by asking, "How can I help?"

  • Schedule regular check-ins focused solely on others' needs

  • Share credit for successes with team members

  • Offer specific, growth-oriented feedback

Leadership Moments:

  • Step back to let others lead key projects

  • Provide resources and remove obstacles

  • Create learning opportunities from challenges

  • Recognize and promote others' contributions

Building Trust Through Service

Trust forms the foundation of effective leadership. Servant leaders build trust by:

  1. Demonstrating Reliability

    • Following through on commitments

    • Being consistent in actions and decisions

    • Showing up when needed

  2. Showing Vulnerability

    • Admitting mistakes

    • Sharing lessons learned

    • Being open about challenges

  3. Prioritizing Others' Growth

    • Investing time in development

    • Providing honest feedback

    • Supporting career advancement

  4. Creating Safety

    • Protecting team members

    • Standing up for others

    • Maintaining confidentiality

The Impact

Organizations led by servant leaders typically experience:

  • Higher employee engagement

  • Stronger team collaboration

  • Improved problem-solving

  • Better retention rates

  • More innovative solutions

Moving Forward

Start your servant leadership journey with these steps:

  1. Assess your current leadership style

  2. Identify one area for improvement

  3. Ask your team what support they need

  4. Create an action plan for implementation

  5. Measure progress through feedback

Remember, servant leadership isn't about being perfect. It's about consistently putting others first and learning from each interaction. As you embrace these principles, you'll discover that true leadership strength comes from empowering others to reach their full potential.

Weekly Action Items:

  • Schedule three "listening sessions" with your team or mentees

  • Identify one opportunity to step back and let others lead

  • Document and share a success story about someone you're mentoring

  • Ask for feedback on your leadership approach

"The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant." - Max DePree

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BRIDGE BUILDERS

Industry Insights on Leadership Development

"Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It's about one life influencing another." - John C. Maxwell

The manufacturing industry provides compelling examples of building tomorrow's leaders through structured mentorship. A recent Manufacturing Drive article by Sakshi Udavant highlights how significant manufacturers are transforming workforce development through innovative mentorship programs. Their approaches offer valuable insights for our leadership development initiatives.

The Leadership Challenge

The manufacturing industry faces a critical challenge - a projected worker shortfall of 2 million people. Leading companies are responding through comprehensive mentorship programs that build talent pipelines, prepare existing workers for leadership roles, and create inclusive environments.

Industry Leaders Setting the Standard

Fastenal: Building From the Ground Up Fastenal, a $7 billion industrial supply company founded in 1967, operates over 3,200 locations worldwide and employs more than 20,000 people. Their innovative Manufacturing Sponsorship Program, launched in 2005 in Minnesota, demonstrates how structured mentorship creates lasting impact:

  • Partners with Minnesota State College Southeast

  • Combines full-time education with hands-on work experience

  • Guarantees positions for successful graduates maintaining a 3.0 GPA

  • Provides complete tuition reimbursement over two years

  • Achieves an 80% retention rate among program participants

  • Creates clear pathways from entry level to management positions

TE Connectivity: Fostering Global Leadership TE Connectivity, a $16.3 billion global technology leader in connectivity and sensor solutions, employs 85,000 people across 28 countries. Their comprehensive approach to mentorship includes:

  • Eight employee resource groups engaging over 9,000 members

  • Targeted programs for women, LGBTQ+ workers, veterans, and diverse communities

  • Executive mentorship program for aspiring senior leaders

  • Global online mentorship platform "Navigate"

  • 20% promotion rate among program participants

  • Proven success in developing inclusive leadership pipelines

Program Impact Metrics:

  • Women's leadership program: 20% promotion rate

  • Succession planning: 20% increase in diverse candidates

  • The second cohort already shows 10% promotion rate

  • Demonstrated success in cross-cultural mentorship

Small Scale Success: Jamestown Plastics

Even smaller manufacturers are making significant impacts. New York-based Jamestown Plastics partnered with Chautauqua Lake Central School to create:

  • Manufacturing education program reaching 500+ students

  • 60 college credit hours opportunity

  • State-of-the-art technology training

  • Direct pathway to employment

Critical Lessons for Our Community

These industry examples reinforce essential principles:

  1. Early Engagement

    • Start leadership development early

    • Create clear pathways to advancement

    • Combine education with practical experience

  2. Structured Programs

    • Set measurable goals

    • Track progress systematically

    • Provide clear incentives

  3. Inclusive Leadership

    • Embrace diverse perspectives

    • Create targeted development opportunities

    • Build supportive networks

  4. Technology Integration

    • Use digital platforms to connect mentors and mentees

    • Enable broader access to leadership resources

    • Track and measure program success

Moving Forward

These industry insights inspire several action items:

  • Explore educational partnerships in our community

  • Implement structured mentorship tracking

  • Develop technology-enabled connections

  • Create targeted leadership development paths

Take Action Today: Join our Bridge Builders initiative by:

  • Mentoring an aspiring leader

  • Sharing your industry expertise

  • Supporting our youth programs

  • Participating in leadership workshops

Contact us at [email protected] to learn more about how you can contribute to building tomorrow's leaders.

"The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership." - Harvey S. Firestone

Our main sponsor, A Few Good MENtors, Inc., is lighting the way for the next generation, providing the mentorship and guidance young people need to confidently navigate their paths to success.

INSIGHT EXCHANGE

Building a Legacy Through Mentorship

A Message from Michael R. Morgan, President/Founder

"Leadership is not measured by how many people serve you. It's measured by how many people you serve."

Success Without Succession is Failure

During my 36 years with the FBI, I witnessed countless talented leaders who excelled in their roles but struggled with transition. They were exceptional runners but poor baton-passers. True success isn't measured by what we achieve alone but by what continues after we step away.

Consider this: Every skill you've mastered, every lesson you've learned, and every insight you've gained is like a precious resource. You can hoard these resources until they expire with you or invest them in others, allowing them to multiply and grow beyond your time.

Why Succession Matters

  • Knowledge Transfer: Your experiences are invaluable teaching tools. Without sharing them, decades of wisdom vanish overnight.

  • Mission Continuity: Organizations falter when leadership transitions happen without preparation.

  • Growth Multiplication: Each person you mentor can potentially impact hundreds more.

Preparing Others to Exceed Us

The actual test of leadership isn't in maintaining control but in preparing others to go further than we did. This requires:

  • Intentional knowledge sharing

  • Creating opportunities for growth

  • Stepping back to let others lead

  • Celebrating when they surpass us

The Marathon Relay Principle

Leadership succession is like a relay race – individual speed matters, but smooth baton passes are crucial. You might be the fastest runner on your leg, but the entire team fails if you can't transfer the baton effectively.

The Critical Handoff

Picture a relay race:

  1. The first runner sprints with everything they have

  2. As they approach the handoff zone, they must:

    • Maintain their speed

    • Position the baton correctly

    • Trust their teammate's readiness

    • Let go at the right moment

  3. The next runner must:

    • Begin moving before receiving the baton

    • Reach back with confidence

    • Grasp firmly without looking back

    • Accelerate into their leg of the race

Application in Leadership

This metaphor perfectly illustrates effective succession:

  • Preparation: Train your successors before they need to take over

  • Timing: Know when to begin the handoff process

  • Trust: Believe in those you've prepared

  • Release: Let go completely when the time comes

Measuring Transfer Success

Practical knowledge and responsibility transfer shows in:

  • Confident decision-making by new leaders

  • Continuous organizational growth

  • Innovation built on established foundations

  • Preservation of core values with fresh approaches

Practical Steps for Implementation

  1. Start Early

    • Identify potential successors immediately

    • Create development plans

    • Share responsibilities gradually

    • Document crucial knowledge

  2. Build Trust

    • Provide increasing autonomy

    • Allow for mistakes and learning

    • Offer honest feedback

    • Celebrate successes

  3. Transfer Wisdom

    • Share not just what to do but why

    • Explain the reasoning behind decisions

    • Include successors in key meetings

    • Provide context for historical choices

  4. Let Go Gradually

    • Delegate increasing responsibility

    • Step back from routine decisions

    • Serve as advisor rather than director

    • Trust the process

Remember: The goal isn't to create copies of ourselves but to develop leaders who will take our vision further than we could imagine. Success without succession isn't success at all – it's a temporary achievement that fades with time.

Key Leadership Insights

From my years of experience, what I've learned:

  1. Focus on Growth, Not Position

    • Great leaders deploy others; they don't just employ them

    • Authentic leadership is about serving, not being served

    • Your value isn't in your position but in your impact

  2. The Power of Mentorship

    • The greatest act of leadership is mentoring

    • Success is measured by the success of your successor

    • Leadership maturity is shown in wanting others to exceed your achievements

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Weekly Challenge

This Week's Leadership Challenge: Identify one person in your circle who shows leadership potential and spend 30 minutes mentoring them this week.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

"The true test of leadership is what happens when you're no longer there." - Dr. Myles Munroe

As the President and Founder of A Few Good MENtors, I deeply resonate with this quote based on my leadership development experience. Dr. Munroe's wisdom cuts to the heart of authentic leadership.

A building's structure isn't tested during construction when scaffolding and supports are in place. It's tested when those supports are removed and it must stand on its own. Similarly, true leadership isn't measured by how well things run under our direct supervision, but by how they function in our absence.

WRAPPING UP and LOOKING AHEAD

As we conclude this week's exploration of leadership and legacy, I'm reminded that our strength lies in our commitment to sharing knowledge and lifting others. Your engagement with these ideas helps build stronger communities and more effective leaders.

Next Week's Focus: The Impact of Stress and Anxiety at Work

Join us as we examine how this crucial topic affects leaders and team members. We'll explore:

  • Understanding workplace stress triggers

  • Developing resilience strategies

  • Supporting team members through challenging times

  • Creating mentally healthy work environments

  • Building sustainable leadership practices under pressure

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Share G.R.O.W.

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Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)

CFC Number: 65125

Attention Federal Employees, Retirees, and Contractors: Your contribution can make a difference! Support A Few Good MENtors through the Combined Federal Campaign. Your tax-deductible donation helps us:

  • Expand mentorship programs

  • Develop leadership training materials

  • Support community initiatives

  • Create opportunities for emerging leaders

Every dollar contributes to building stronger leaders and communities. The CFC campaign runs through January 15, 2025.

Stay Connected

Final Thought

"Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge." - Simon Sinek

Until next week, keep growing, leading, and making a difference.

With purpose,

Michael R. Morgan President/Founder, A Few Good MENtors Editor, G.R.O.W. Newsletter

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