Here is my response to a great blog post on the Washington Post.com. Once I figure out how, I will post the comment on that site. Until then, enjoy. Some people know exactly what career they want from childhood. Is it easier to help those people in life and to help them progress through a productive career? Obviously. Most of us are more like you Misti and need to explore our options. That usually means a bit of mentor and career trial and error along the way. Many people try to “help” mentees by leading them down the path that made them successful and indoctrinating the mentee into the mentor’s world. They assume, this worked for me, it will work for you. While this may be a great process for making cookies, it usually doesn’t work for developing people. In reality, it usually results in an ended relationship (this isn’t working for me) or the protégé will follow the mentor’s advice and pretend to be engaged in the process...
Life and leadership are not about which path you take, they are about the choices you make when the roads diverge. The are not achieved in a one-day or one-month. They are compiled through a lifetime of education, experience, and reflection.