by Eddie Pipkin

Image by Andrea from Pixabay

It’s Wimbledon time, and one of the greatest tennis players ever, the great Novak Djokovic, is once again pursuing grass court glory.  At 38 he owns the all-time record for most men’s singles majors titles, and he was #1 in the world rankings for a record 428 weeks.  The reason we are talking about him in this space, though, is that in a sport where champions are famous for holding themselves remote and standoffish as part of the psychological one-upmanship of the game, Djokovic is known for making himself available to coach and encourage young up-and-comers.  It’s a great recipe to follow for those with expertise and wisdom to give back to rising generations and invest in the future.

If you want to read more about how Djokovic is inspiring younger players, check out this article: “‘That’s What I Owe to the Game’: Djokovic takes role as mentor to younger players to heart.”  It’s clear that the tennis champion is driven by a sense of gratitude and a deep desire to give back to the sport that has defined his life:

The kings and queens of the sport have often carried themselves with a bit of aloofness and unapproachability. They want their current and future opponents to see them as something higher and larger than they are.

Djokovic, though, has long embraced helping promising players, especially those from Central Europe and other smaller countries. He beat a fellow Serb, Miomir Kecmanovic, in straight sets on Saturday in Wimbledon’s third round.

But when his advice is sought, he doesn’t particularly care what country a player is from — or even if his assistance might one day come back to bite him.

The article makes clear that he is acting at times to his own detriment by helping make the younger players stronger, but self-aggrandizement and turf protection are not his primary motivations.  A pure love of the game and the people who play it are the inspiration for his selfless service.

One would assume, of course, that this is exactly the model that ministry leadership would always pursue, but in many local settings turf protection is the order of the day.  People guard their territories with vigor and perceive the progress and promise of others as a threat to their own relevance.  Our attitude should be exactly the opposite.  When we can invest our hard-won wisdom in those coming along behind us, we are making a healthy future possible for the organizations that we lead.  We are ensuring a continuum of quality and seeding the passion that will carry our vision forward after we have moved on.

Here are five significant reasons why it is important for older leaders to mentor younger leaders:

  • Knowledge Transfer: Older leaders have a wealth of experience and knowledge that can be invaluable to younger leaders. Mentoring helps ensure that this knowledge is passed down, preserving valuable insights and best practices.
  • Skill Development: Mentoring provides younger leaders with the opportunity to develop essential skills, such as decision-making, problem-solving, and leadership. This hands-on guidance helps them grow more quickly and effectively.
  • Networking Opportunities: Older leaders often have extensive professional networks. By mentoring younger leaders, they can introduce them to key contacts and opportunities, helping to expand their professional circles.
  • Confidence Building: Younger leaders can benefit from the encouragement and support of experienced mentors. This can boost their confidence and help them navigate challenges with greater assurance.
  • Succession Planning: Mentoring ensures that there is a pipeline of well-prepared leaders ready to step into key roles when needed. This helps organizations maintain continuity and stability over time.

We worry about whether our good work will outlive us, but the antidote for that worry is to do all we can to build strong, capable leaders who will carry on with our efforts – and, indeed, who will creatively guide the evolution of those efforts to match the needs of new times.

Djokovic phrases it like this:

“What’s the value of the knowledge or experience if you don’t transfer it to someone who is coming up?”

We don’t build lasting (eternal) value by hoarding what we’ve learned.  Just as is true with love, we activate its value by giving it away.  And, of course, it’s not a zero-sum game anyway.  If we are open to listening as well as speaking, we will learn valuable perspectives from the younger folks whom we are aiming to serve.

Do you have people from a younger generation with whom you are working to pass on your experience and wisdom?  If you are a representative of that younger generation, do you have established leaders who are mentoring you?  What are the challenges that keep these relationships from developing?  How might those challenges be overcome?  Your ideas are welcome in our comments section.