Who Are You Mentoring and Sponsoring?

by Jul 30, 20199 comments

When I was 27, with my self-awareness and worldview vastly exaggerated in my own mind, I suddenly became the CEO of Manpower Limited. Possessing nothing but raw ambition, self-confidence and limited skills, I launched into my new role.

 

The reason I found myself in this situation was because a remarkable man by the name of James Scheinfeld saw something in me that others didn’t. He chose to take a gamble on me – and it paid off. From a standing start, over the next 14 years, we built an international business that grew to 72,000 full and part-time employees.

 

The only reason that this success happened was that I had two gifts – a mentor and a sponsor – embodied in the same person. Among others, Jim Scheinfeld changed my life. In fact, as I look back, any successes that I have had have all been directly enabled by a mentor and a sponsor, whether it was a new client that believed in me, a publisher that wanted a book of mine to succeed, a spouse from whom I could learn and grow, an organization trusting me to help them achieve breakthroughs, fans of my work providing feedback and opportunities or coaching clients from whom I learn as much as I teach.

 

Who in your immediate circle is young, inexperienced and full of unrealized potential, who, with your mentoring and sponsorship, could do remarkable things in the world? Who will you choose to guide to greatness today? Who’s life could you change today by helping them to live larger and play their full role in the world?