Where have all our mentors gone?

Where are our mentors? Throughout history people have always looked to the elders for wisdom and for mentorship. I am afraid that one of the consequences to the decades of prosperity that we have experienced is a lack of mentors. Those that are the most successful in life and could be the most valuable as mentors, retire and cocoon themselves in gated communities to play golf and cribbage until they pass. In the times we are living in we need mentors more than ever. Many of those that I know that could be excellent mentors are consumed with selfish pursuits or clouded with cynicism. Those of us that have experienced life need to be sharing those experiences and our advice with the younger people that will be leading businesses, communities and our nation.

When I came to Tucson 24 years ago I had several mentors that poured in to my life in different ways. There were 2 broadcasters that helped me a great deal; Dennis Behan and Jim Slone. Dennis owned KWFM and KCEE at the time; he also was our landlord for the KVOI tower site. After I had been here a few months he called to say he was raising our rent, (we had a month to month lease). I went to see him the next day and explained that we could not afford the increase. We were working our way out of IRS liens and payables stretching back 3 years. He told me that I had no lease and had no leverage, “what are you going to do, beg me?” he said. I told him that if I had to I would get down on my knees and do just that. He laughed and told me he wasn’t going to raise my rent, “but you should never have a radio station without a rock solid lease or owning the site”. He later showed me how to buy the tower site after he sold the site and his stations to American Media.

Jim Slone gave me a great example of integrity. He refused to play songs that had cussing in them, even if it was the number one song on the country charts. His example gave me the confidence to stick with our values and not be swayed by public opinion. Now I am of the age where I should be a mentor to younger business leaders trying to find there way in this difficult economy. How about you? Are you blessed with life experiences, failures and successes that have shaped your life and values? Or have the challenges and disappointments in life made you bitter instead of better? In every life a little rain is going to fall. There is a verse of scripture that goes like this “praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who comforts us when we go through various trials that we might be a comfort to others”. We can be a mentor and a comfort to others; this should be our priority and not the pursuit of our own happiness.