A Conversation with Laurie Baedke, Part 2

This podcast shares the habits and practices of peak performers and top leaders, from many walks of life; physicians, senior executives, entrepreneurs, and academics. And from every season, from the seasoned and sage to those emerging leaders and rising rock stars. All who are blazing trails and shining a light for others.

Mentoring has helped form Laurie Baedke into the leader that she is today, and it continues to play a crucial role in her life. Not only do mentors keep guiding Laurie in her personal and professional development, but as a mentor herself, she also savors the opportunities she has to turn around and counsel, exhort, and encourage others — emerging leaders and rising stars in diverse disciplines and fields.

Laurie is quick to point out that there’s an art to building mentoring relationships — and it starts with not asking for a mentoring relationship. It may sound counterintuitive, but taking the long view — planting seeds now and looking to harvest in the distant future — may be one of the best things you can do to nurture and build strong mentoring relationships. Noting that there’s no “fairy godmother,” she says it’s up to us to equip ourselves to be successful leaders. One way to do this is to think outside the “prototypical mentor” image and the potentially limiting confines of your own network when seeking to broaden your mentoring experiences.

Goal-oriented by nature, Laurie acknowledges the dangers lining the path of a leader who fails to take the time to clarify values and practice discernment in choosing goals. Other factors Laurie sees as helpful in supercharging your growth as a leader include avoiding the comparison trap, being open to honest feedback on blind spots, and seeing strengths-based assessment tools for what they actually are — a jumping off point for getting to really know yourself.