Mentors - Part 2

I have been chewing on what mentoring means to me for the last few days, trying to massage my thoughts into some intelligible form. While I still struggle with validation at times, what I desire from a mentor is different. I want their suggestions on how to handle differing situations, recommended avenues for development, challenging and stretching, sometimes correction and sometimes just a nod and a smile. The one component of apprenticeship I crave the most is the opportunity to observe my mentors performing in their vocation. I enjoy watching these experts doing the things that make them the experts in their field like talking with customers, sharing their ideas in a meeting, hiring, firing, and all the grit of leadership and management that comes in-between. This is absolutely critical for me in learning how to be successful in business. For me, having the opportunity to observe my mentors modeling the various components of whatever vocation they are experienced in, and which I aspire to, is an indispensable component of passing on knowledge.