MAINTENANCE MINUTE Mentorship Means Success
By Mark Tyler
If you have read my articles in recent months, you know I have talked a lot about character, integrity, and other tools to place in your toolbox so you can create a successful career as an aircraft maintenance technician. Those are all essential. One often overlooked but critical tool is an experienced mentor.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines a mentor as a trusted counselor or guide, a tutor or coach. Do you have a mentor in your life? Is there someone you consider a coach, accountability partner or trusted advisor? If the answer is no, then you should look for one. A mentor could be someone who works with you, someone who has more experience doing what you do, or even someone who can speak transparently into your life.
We all learn differently, but a good mentor is someone who can combine knowledge and experience and impart it to someone
else. As one saying goes, “Tell me and I forget; teach me and I may remember; involve me and I learn.” All of us have had our share of continuing education seminars. All of us have had classes on the latest products, tools, and tricks. But mentors can demonstrate proven skills that you can keep in your toolbox for a long time. Mentors are not people who will give you what you want to hear. Mentors are people who speak the truth well, even when it is difficult.
Whether or not you are a fan of the Dallas Cowboys NFL team, most people know its iconic former coach who sported a fedora. Tom Landry once defined a coach quite accurately: “A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear, who has you see what you don’t want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be.”
Mentors have a way of stretching you, teaching you, and helping you reach your potential. In both my military and my aviation maintenance careers, I have had my share of mentors. Two of my greatest mentors are Perry Siler and Buddy Evans. Without them pouring into my life, I would not be where I am today. Mentors also help us see our purpose and direction. It is not just important to know how to do things, but to also know why.
President John F. Kennedy once said, “Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.” Hopefully as you read this column you are realizing your need for a mentor, and even identifying someone who can be your mentor. It is important to learn from others. It will help you be more successful in your career as a maintenance technician. If you are already well established in your career, perhaps it’s time for you to consider who could benefit from your mentorship.
I’ll end with one more great quote, this one from President John Quincy Adams. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, then you are a leader.”
About the author: Mark Tyler dedicated the majority of his career to serving the helicopter EMS community, from base mechanic to director of maintenance. As vice president and general manager of Precision Aircraft Services, Tyler now serves helicopter operators from many sectors including air ambulance, law enforcement, private owners, etc. When not at work, he can be found spending time with his family or sitting in a tree stand.
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Sept/Oct 2021
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