My family experienced something new this past May…18 years in the making. My oldest son, Daniel, graduated from high school. When people say “time flies, so enjoy every moment”…they really mean it. It doesn’t seem possible he’ll be headed to college in the fall (and, might I add, to my alma mater…go Hawkeyes!). Any parent who’s gone through a child graduating can probably attest to this…it’s a time of mixed emotions. Mainly, I’m excited for him and his future.
As a dad, I obviously have a lot of advice for him. Some he may want to hear, and some of it he may not. But one thing I do hope that sticks as he heads into this next stage of his life and then on into the business world, is that I hope he seeks out people along the way who will mentor him and provide guidance.
I truly believe mentors accelerate success. That’s why I’m so passionate about Holmes Murphy’s Internship program. I recently had a chance to sit down with all our interns. It was an opportunity not only for them to ask me questions (nothing was off limits), but I also had the chance to talk with them about their future, find out what kind of struggles they face as students, and see what (or who) is helping shape them and their career paths. It was enlightening. What I found is that some of our interns are approaching their final year of college, and they are at a stressful point in their lives. They’re gearing up for the “real world,” they want advice, and they’re hungry for people willing to step up and help guide them.
That’s what we hope to do at Holmes Murphy, and not just through our Internship program but for any young professionals, to include our own employees. There isn’t a person in any of our offices who wouldn’t be delighted to be a mentor…in fact, being asked is humbling.
My point to this post is this. If you’re looking to accelerate your success…find a mentor. If you’re a leader or you have knowledge to offer…be a mentor.
I can only hope this advice resonates with my own son, because I know with the right people guiding him, advising him, and mentoring him, his future success is guaranteed.
