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Greeting, friends! Each article in the monthly newsletter is designed to help you think, talk and teach about money using the Share Save Spend philosophy. Printing and posting the following column in a visible place like the refrigerator door, classroom or office can be a great way to stimulate financial conversations with your family and friends. If you like what you see, forward this column to a friend.
| 11/1/2007 |
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| A Mentor Remembered |
Losing someone close to you is never easy.
This is especially true when the person who dies is one of your mentors – someone who, for me, played such a significant role in shaping and influencing not only what I do, but more importantly how I do it.
Skip, a native of Seattle, Washington passed away at age 63 just 10 months after receiving the difficult news that he had stage-four lymphoma. He was a man of unquestionable integrity and the embodiment of what it means to be a servant-leader.
I am dedicating this column to Skip and his family and will share three important lessons I learned from him over the years.
Lesson #1: The best mentors are excellent listeners. I first met Skip in the early nineties at a meeting we both attended in Minneapolis. At the time he was managing a large group of financial advisors in Seattle and was a highly respected leader both in the company and the greater financial services industry.
At the meeting, I was the clear neophyte in the group. But that didn’t matter to Skip. Not only did he encourage me to share my opinions, but he was an eager and thoughtful listener. From Skip I was reminded to listen first and speak second regardless of the persons age or experience.
Lesson #2:Be generous beyond your wildest imagination. Skip taught me several important lessons about the role generosity should play in our lives. First and foremost is that if you have been blessed with opportunities and resources it is essential to share frequently with those less fortunate. Skip was incredibly generous with both his time and money and he inspired countless youth and adults to do the same. Whether it was for causes and individuals here in the U.S. or abroad, he was always looking to extend a hand of generosity. Skip embodied the Golden Rule.
Lesson #3: Embrace life for all it has to offer. Skip loved to learn, to meet new people and to play. I have seen pictures of one of his five young granddaughters painting his toenails a wild color and he was smiling and laughing. He went out of his way to meet new people and learn about their life and stories – especially in Mexico where he and his wife own a home. His thirst for knowledge extended well beyond his home-court of traditional financial topics. He was well read on a wide variety of topics and he passed that the love of learning on to many others including his two sons and grandchildren.
One Share Save Spend Idea
In memory or in honor of one of your mentors, take a few minutes and look around to see what you can do to improve the life of someone less fortunate. That might be a donation of time to a shut-in in your neighborhood or a monetary contribution to an organization that combats hunger and poverty.
Money Talks – One question for teaching about money
Who is or was your mentor and how have they inspired you?
Share your answer with family and friends as it will likely lead to a more significant conversation of the role they played in your life.
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