Thursday, August 05, 2010

Session 3: The Mentor Leader (Tony Dungy)

Session 3: The Mentor Leader (Tony Dungy)
(note: please see my other posts on my blog at http://bit.ly/Hwill4 for notes from other sessions)

Tony is a well known NFL coach! In 2007 became first African American coach to win a Superbowl. Analyst for NBC.
Interviewed by Craig Groeschel
His book is titled “The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People and Teams that Win Consistently”
He had difficulty selling the philosophy and it took some time to kick in. He believes mentoring is a biblical philosophy.

Coach Knoll mentored him that “Stubbornness is a virtue if you're right.” He was a family man. He said “you can't make football your life” Tony learned that family and God were more important. He tried to schedule so family could have great family life. He found if the coaches had happier families they would be better at coaching. He exhibited this in his own life and by keeping the facility open to children. He also worked at spending time efficiently so they didn't have to work too many late nights. “Don't mistake hours for productivity.”

They lost the Superbowl seat to the patriots at one point after he did a public service announcement. Years later he heard from some parents who adopted as a result of the announcement. He said to himself, this was more important.

We need to make ourselves available as a mentor. If we see someone we would like to mentor us, say “Hey, I'd like to share with you, how did you get to this point” Jim Collins made the point in the earlier session “isn't it something about how a 30 second conversation with a mentor can change your life?”

* Mentors can be remote
* Mentors don't always have to be an icon or a highly successful businessman
* Everyone needs a Paul (someone to mentor) and to be a Timothy (someone to be mentored)
* Mentor needs to find out what ways they can help the mentee
* Mentee needs to be able to learn
* Develop trust between the two (Mentor and Mentee)
* Don't worry if the mentor is intimidating or doesn't know everything, you can still learn
* It doesn't have to be so formal that you meet at a special time, but it can be
* The informal part can be used so much too

Biggest life-changing moment
He had a disagreement with a coach in junior high. He decided to quit the team. The principal of the school had developed a relationship with the students at lunch. The principal called him to find out why he was quitting. He told Tony “Don't ever let something stand in the way of something you enjoy.”

If there is someone at work that you think can benefit by learning from you, take the time to see if you can mentor them.

Also, be intentional to reach out to young people in your community.


Q: When you held the Superbowl trophy, you chose to give glory to God. Who is Christ to you?
A: The night before the game, he told the team they would be celebrated if they win, but bums if they loose. He reminded them what Christ said: What would it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but looses his own soul?

Note: Follow Tony's video blog on marriage, family, and leadership allprodad.com/dungy

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