You never forget the people who show up when you need them most—especially when you didn’t even know what to ask for. Mentorship makes a difference!
Back in 1979, I was staring down graduation with more uncertainty than clarity… until a simple lunch with two unexpected leadership mentors changed everything.
It was the fall of 1979. Way back in the 20th Century.
The last days of my final collegiate semester at Murray State University were a stress-inducing mix of unfinished projects, mass resume mailings, discouraging rejection letters, and more than a little hand-wringing about the bleak future being painted before me.
I would soon collect my diploma. But then what?
Like thousands of other graduates that year (and every year before or since), I was hungry for success—but woefully unprepared for the real-world challenges—professional and personal—that lay between where I was and where success might be found.
I knew what I knew. Unfortunately, what I knew wasn’t much. Not nearly enough. Worse still, I didn’t know what I really needed to know.
Sure, my college business courses had educated me in foundational business principles. But what about foundational leadership principles—team building, problem solving, decision making, and most of all, effective communication?
Where and how was I supposed to learn those?
Angel Mentors & A Lunch That Changed Everything
Amid the uncertainty, a surprising opportunity emerged.
Just weeks before graduation, two local manufacturing executives from my hometown invited me to lunch. The call came out of the blue. I was shocked they even knew who I was.
Still, it sparked a flicker of hope. Maybe they’d offer me a job?
They didn’t.
But what I received was even more valuable.
Over greasy burgers and fries, these experienced businessmen painted a vision of leadership success specifically for me. They outlined a strategy—personalized and practical—to guide my career forward, even though my career hadn’t officially started.
They didn’t tell me where to work or why to work. They taught me how to work—with a leadership mentality. It was my first real experience with leadership mentorship, and it made all the difference.
They emphasized:
- Foundational education (structured learning)
- Individualized training (developing specific skills)
- Independent study (exploring meaningful topics)
- Intentional experimentation (testing what works)
They also stressed the importance of staying open to unexpected opportunities.
Then came something even more personal: both men shared the winding, imperfect paths their own careers had taken. Each was about twenty years my senior, and they allowed me to see what my future could look like—by shining a light on their own.
That alone would’ve been more than enough.
But then came the real gift.
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True Advocates Make a Lifelong Impact
By the end of that lunch, I had something invaluable—two true advocates. They meant it when they said they were invested in my success.
Over the next several months, they continued to check in, offering encouragement, insight, connections—even walking me through a mock interview process. It was a personalized, generous mentorship.
Despite my unimpressive collegiate GPA, their guidance helped me land my first “real” job—a supervisory role in a large manufacturing environment.
That job was the launchpad for a leadership journey that’s now spanned more than 45 years.
Paying MENTORSHIP Forward: Vision 2050
I never forgot the generosity of Jere Hall and Sam Ruth.
But remembering alone wasn’t enough.
In 2015, Susan and I began inviting young professionals—ages 25 to 35—into our home for what became a five-year leadership mentorship initiative we called Vision 2050.
Five groups. Twelve members per group. Monthly meetings for a full year.
We tried to do for them what my mentors had done for me: shine a light, cast a vision, and provide a personalized leadership roadmap for the long haul. It was our way of paying forward the leadership mentorship that had shaped my own journey.
It became one of the most personally rewarding experiences of my career.
Later, I learned Jere and Sam chose a graduating senior every year to mentor. At the time, I thought I was the only one. Turns out, 1979 was just my turn.
Be The Person You Once Needed
You don’t have to be a seasoned executive to offer meaningful leadership mentorship. If you’ve learned something—anything—worth sharing, you have something to give.
Look around: who’s a step or two behind you that could benefit from your perspective? It could be a colleague, a student, or even a friend. Start small. Invite them to lunch. Ask about their goals. Share one lesson that shaped you.
The truth is, leadership mentorship isn’t about age or title—it’s about intentionality. And someone in your world is waiting for their “angel mentor” moment. Why not be the one who shows up?
