I trust you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Holiday. I always enjoy Thanksgiving. We always make it a point to be with family and friends. In addition, I try to take a few moments by myself and reflect. This year I thought about past mentors that I have had.

The first mentor that I had was a coach when I was in elementary school. His name was Buc Stamps. Truth be told I was scared to death of him and at the same time I respected him as much as my own father.  I felt he was hard on me. He pushed me further than anyone ever had. His expectations of me were far greater than my own. His influence on me far outlasted his direct contact with me. It was because of his influence and instruction that I excelled in sports throughout my entire high school and collegiate career.

My second true mentor was a Kentucky gentleman by the name of Tom Burke. Tom was a retired IBMer. He hired me as a sales person for a small IBM value added sales company that he was part owner in. Tom was more than a boss though. He took an interest in seeing that I not only continued to grow as a professional but that I grew as a husband, a father, and in my commitment to the community that I lived and worked in. He literally taught me how to be a gracious host in the business, in my home, in a restaurant, etc.  His attention to detail was extreme. You always felt like you were royalty in Tom’s presence. I excelled under his guidance becoming a Vice President in the business by the age of 29 and managing the Atlanta office. His influence continues to serve me well.

I am now on my third mentor. His name is Gary Harpst. Gary is the founder of Six Disciplines, LLC. His mission is to help individuals like myself coach organizations on how to build companies that learn, lead and last. I have learned much from him in the past seven months and am looking forward to learning more and more.

Who are your mentors? Who other than your parents has made a difference in your life, your profession?

by: Terry L. Massey

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