This article was penned by Derek Medlenka, a Tech Sergeant (E-6) in the Air Force. He walks us through the metaphor of plant growth, urging us to think of being a constant gardener as a mentor and leader. Read on to start your own internal conversation, that may spark a transformation.
As military leaders, we are expected to seek out knowledge and lead those around us. Even
more so, as we promote and progress through the ranks we develop, study, and reflect on our evolving leadership philosophies. This is a responsibility that we MUST undertake, so that we can better lead the people that we are care for. One specific way that we do this is by seeking out mentorship and soaking up our mentors' wisdom.
I recently fell in love with this “mentoring” idea and I must admit I am late to the party with 13 years in the United States Air Force. The first half of my career was spent falsely believing that I had found and knew exactly what a mentor was. Along with this, I was also led to believe that the best mentorship was obtained from someone much older and senior than myself. Oh, how I was wrong.
Let us start with some reflective questions. I want you to honestly stop and think for a moment who your mentors are. How far have they gone in their career or field of expertise? What does their success look like? In what ways are they invested and growing you? I have started to realize over my career that I have been seeking mentors and mentorship at only one level. Can you guess at what level they are at? They were at the same level that many of you were just reflecting about. If you said they are above you in rank or position, then you’re right on the money. But why is that the first place we think of when seeking a mentor and looking for growth opportunities? Now, I don’t want to discredit these type of mentors, as they certainly have a plethora of experiences and expertise. I have mentors that are extremely successful, are at the top of their game and best of all, they are invested in my future. These mentors are fantastic to have. However, I want to open your eyes to a different level of mentoring... a level that you may be blind to because you either aren’t listening, or you don’t “see” them.
Now I want you to think about the image of a beautiful flower. What did you pick? A rose? A
lily? Even better, a sunflower? Regarding the flower you picked, you have its different parts.
There is the main flower with its many petals, there is the strong and sturdy stem, there are the leaves, and there are also the roots. You can’t forget about the roots. Now, for everything that follows as you read ahead, let’s use your flower and its parts as a metaphor.
First imagine you are the stem. You are strong and you are sturdy. You consistently seek the
development you need to be great. Your experience and how long you have been leading determines just how tall your flower is.
Let’s think about the leaves next. These leaves are your healthy competition, or your peers.
You don’t necessarily seek their advice, but you are connected with them. Some of these leaves are higher on your stem while some remain lower. Sometimes you obtain new leaves, and sometimes a few die and fall away. You provide them with some of your strength or
“knowledge”, but you also use them to capture some of the sun’s light that reciprocates and
helps you grow. You know what else is great about these peers? They will take some bug bites for you when things get rough, because they are always there to support you along your growth as a leader.
Next, imagine the flower that sits above you. Its petals are your accomplished mentors that you focus on and seek for their beautiful advice that we discussed in the beginning. People see these mentors in your life, and you are proud to have them. I mean, why wouldn’t you? They really are at the top of their game and closest to the sun. They have much to impart and promote you with. However, what would that flower and its petals be without you. As much as they are able to provide for you, you are providing for them. Without you, there is no flower and there are no petals. They need you. So, if they need you and are nothing without you, then ask yourself how often you look down for mentorship.
Finally let us look at the roots. They are thin but there are many. They too are strong. They
know you, as the stem, best. They hold you up and provide the majority of your growth.
Consider these roots your subordinates or those that you are leading. How many times have
you turned to your roots for mentorship? How can you consider yourself healthy if you never
look beneath the soil and consider the advice from these individuals? Other than mandated
feedback, how often do you ask a subordinate, “What am I doing right? What could I do
better? How can I help you and remove the obstacles in your way to lead and mentor you?”
You might be surprised what you hear. I have received some of the most honest and useful
material for my personal leadership growth at this level. If you want to lead effectively, you
must soak up the nutrients and the water that the roots capture for you. They are the
foundation of your ability to lead. They are the most important piece of your growth, and
better yet, they are usually there for an extended time watching you lead.
We all get caught up sometimes with the idea that mentorship is provided from someone who is older and has lifelong expertise. The problem is that mentorship can be introduced at any level and in any direction. The sooner we accept this as leaders, the further we will go. A great chief in my life once told me to always “Bloom where you are planted, Medlenka”. What I didn’t understand until now is when you plant yourself, don’t forget to tend to the soil.