Sometimes it seems as if we live in a “dog-eat-dog” kind of world.  Cutthroat business practices are often glamorized and encouraged.  People can be set to fail, or to be left behind by those who possess more knowledge and experience.  In this mindset, knowledge is leverage to use to keep others from competing, or to preserve a position within an organization.

However, I look up to those who freely share information and knowledge.  I admire someone who’s confident with their own ability to help others without seeing them as a threat.  To take a lesser experienced or skilled worker, and mentor them is a critical component to our workforce.

We’ve all worked in a place where someone was the expert in part of the job.  They may have been a smart person, but I’ve seen many instances where they were also isolated and perhaps selfish.  The common mindset being that “I worked to get this far, they should also put in the effort.”  They remain knowledgeable, but others in the organization are kept from growing.

Those who learn and grow, yet still take the time to pass the knowledge along are the glue that makes up a successful team.  I’ll spare you the cliché about there being “no I’s in team”, but a collection of smart and intelligent people may not always be successful when they are alone and of an individual mindset.

Take the time to help others learn and grow.  Mentor or coach someone to new highs of performance and skill.

So for my 13^th day of gratitude, I’m thankful for all those people who take the time and effort to help others grow and blossom.  They are true leaders.