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Building Future Leaders

Do you have a mentor? If your answer is yes, you know how valuable he or she is to your growth!

Do you have a protégé? If your answer is yes, you know the quantity and quality of contribution you are delivering into that person’s life.

If your answer to either question is no, you’ve just discovered a lost opportunity!

In mentoring relationships, both parties grow. Clearly, the mentor stretches the protégé by assigning projects and generating thought-provoking questions.

The stretching process works the other way, too. By bringing real topics to the dialogue, the protégé (sometimes called a “mentee”) calls upon the mentor’s experience and likely causes him or her to rethink perspectives that have not been examined recently.

Maybe you think serving as a role model is enough. I say, “Not so!” Sure, younger leaders can watch what you do and emulate your behaviors. But they won’t know why you chose one action over another. Having the freedom to ask, “Why did you do that?” and having you provide a deep and genuine answer gives future leaders valuable insight into how you think! That’s a huge contribution to make to others!

Maybe you think you are sufficiently experienced that you don’t need a mentor. I say, “Not so!” Let’s presume you are THE leader in your organization. To whom do you go when you need to blow off steam? Or with whom do you do some “blue sky” dreaming about what could be?

As THE leader, if you go to anyone else in your organization, you run the risk that person will unilaterally take some action that could easily be disruptive. So, is holding it all in your only option? Will you never have the freedom to pull out your dreams and concerns, lay them on the table, and examine them with someone who could provide some beneficial insight?

Maybe that’s why the field of executive coaching is growing so rapidly. If you have lots of experience, and if you’ve benefited from mentors in the past, you know the value of having someone you trust available for exploring possibilities with you!

So, let’s say you want to build a relationship with a mentor or a protégé. Who should initiate the connection? YOU! There’s no proper or improper way to initiate a mentoring relationship. What’s important is that you respect the other individual and the chemistry “feels” right.

If you recognize the potential in the younger person and sense that he or she wants to learn and grow, offer your services. That individual might never have approached you, feeling that you are too busy (and maybe too important) to spend your time supporting and encouraging him or her.

If you are the younger person and can imagine the questions you’d like to ask of that more experienced person, by all means, go to that individual and respectfully ask. Sure, the answer might be no, but you’re already not receiving his or her insights! If you obtain just one meeting with the individual, that’s more than you had before. And maybe that person would be delighted to contribute to your growth.

Usually a mentoring relationship is with someone outside your direct chain of command. Why? The coaching relationship is expected between a boss and a direct report. Also, there are overtones in that authority relationship that can make healthy collaboration more difficult. You’d like to be able to ask very pointed questions without fearing potential repercussions.

Once involved in a mentoring relationship, both parties should occasionally evaluate what’s working well and what could be improved. These two questions should be applied to both the process and the outcomes of your meetings. Let me explain.

The “process” is how you do what you do. How are agenda items determined for your meetings? Are the topics appropriate? Is there a healthy give and take to the dialogue? Is there a high level of honesty and trust? Does each person respect the other’s time and other commitments?

The “outcome” is the result obtained from the relationship. Does each person leave with new insight and inspiration? Are the action steps generated in the meeting actually executed? Is confidentiality maintained when restricted or personal information is shared? Does each person leave the meeting looking forward to the next one?

Healthy mentoring relationships are hugely rewarding. When you serve as a constructive mentor, you not only pour into another person’s life, you provide a terrific role model for that person serving as a mentor in the not too distant future! Should you initiate a new mentoring relationship this week?

Dennis Hooper is an executive coach, helping organizations build future leaders. Contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Call him at (404)-575-3050. His website is www.buildingfutureleaders.com.

Dennis Hooper, copyright © 2011, published in the Savannah Business Journal on Monday, February 20, 2012

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Feb 13, 2012 – The 2012 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly continues to move forward with eighteen legislative days behind us.  After leaving the Capitol on Friday of last week and heading home to our districts, the legislature was back in full swing on Monday.  This week the General Assembly was in session for four days.  Although we will not be in session on Monday and Tuesday, myself and the majority of my colleagues will be back in Atlanta attending committee meetings and debating legislation.

Several pieces of legislation were passed this week out of the House.  On Monday, House Bill 832 passed 148 to 8 and would slightly amend the law relating to the Vidalia onion and the Vidalia onion trademark.  This bill would eliminate the requirement that royalty and license fees would not exceed a certain amount.  House Resolution 1103 passed unanimously and would dedicate a portion of Interstate Route 520 in Richmond County as the Deputy James D. Paugh Memorial Highway.  Deputy Paugh was a dedicated public servant who was killed in October of last year while on duty when a motorist he stopped opened fire on him. 

On Tuesday, the House passed five bills and one resolution.  In recent years, there has been discussion about human trafficking in Georgia and the victims of it; therefore, we passed House Resolution 1151 (vote of 166 to 1) to create the Joint Human Trafficking Study Commission.  This committee will consist of 13 members that will examine Georgia's system of care for victims of human trafficking for one year and will report the findings and make recommendations.  Last session the General Assembly passed House Bill 200 in regard to the crime of human trafficking and now the legislature is looking at a means of a comprehensive system of services for those victims.  House Bill 725 passed unanimously and it relates to certain circumstances whereby qualifying for a public office could be reopened.  For example, if an incumbent filed their candidacy and paid the qualifying fee and then decided to withdraw, this bill would allow qualifying to be reopened for other candidates on the Monday following the close of qualifying.  House Bill 642 passed 134 to 27 and would abolish the office of the State Personnel Administration and moves those responsibilities to the Department of Administrative Services (DOAS).  Relating to this bill is House Bill 805 which passed unanimously and it involves the transfer of certain functions in regard to retirement and pensions for people under the State Personnel Administration, which will fall under DOAS should HB 642 pass.  House Bill 711 passed 162 to 1 and it changes the specifics involving spouses and testifying in a criminal proceeding, such as certain exemptions to when a spouse would have to testify and the confidentiality of the parties.  House Bill 760 passed 167 to 1 and would make changes to capital outlay funds for elementary and secondary education.  This bill would increase requirements for the advance funding program, eliminate the requirement of a nonbinding referendum for a school closure and would replace the exceptional growth program with an expansion of the maximum entitlement level for regular capital outlay earnings.   

On Wednesday, the House debated two pieces of legislation.  House Bill 342 passed unanimously and it defines and expands the definition of a family violence order and will allow law enforcement to arrest a perpetrator if they are in violation of a restraining order. The other bill we debated on Wednesday took up the majority of our time that day.  Many people have heard the discussion on the news about Charter Schools in Georgia and this legislation sought to address that issue.  A State Supreme Court ruling last year stated that the state did not have the ability to approve charter schools; however, House Resolution 1162 proposed an amendment to Georgia's Constitution to clarify the authority of the state to establish a state-wide education policy.  HR 1162 was voted on this week; however, the bill we voted on was an amended bill and a bipartisan compromise of the bill that was originally introduced.  Although local funding was included in the original version, the amended version did not allow local money to move forward to a charter school.  House Resolution 1162 failed to pass out of the House on Wednesday because it did not receive the required two-thirds majority vote which is needed to pass a Constitutional Amendment.  The vote was 110 to 62 and only 10 votes short of the 120 votes needed to pass out of the House.  The passage of a Constitutional Amendment simply means that the legislation will go on the ballot as a statewide referendum and voters would make the decision.  HR 1162 will now go back to the Rules Committee and it could be reconsidered on another legislative day.

On Thursday two bills were passed.  House Bill 409 passed unanimously and it simply clarifies that graduates of an accredited college or school of veterinary medicine can apply for a license without the board needing to approve the individuals to take the exam.  This ensures that the board does not have to approve the individuals twice.  House Bill 707 passed 122 to 35 and it would allow a voter to use a valid student id with a photo to be used as proof of identity in order to vote.

The General Assembly will continue our work at the State Capitol on Wednesday, February 15th for our nineteenth day of session.  I will continue to keep all of you informed throughout the 2012 legislative session.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions, ideas, thoughts or concerns.  It is both an honor and privilege to continue serving you in the Georgia General Assembly.  If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-5099 or write me at: State Rep. Ron Stephens, 226 CAP, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session.  The session began January 9, 2012 and is expected to last until the latter days of March.

Day 15 (Monday, February 6, 2012): After what had to have been the shortest weekend ever, we’re back up here today with everyone’s analysis of yesterday’s Super Bowl being the topic of discussion.  Although we don’t go into session until the afternoon, my day starts with a meeting at 8 AM with a department head of one of the agencies that is under my purview in Appropriations. After two more meetings with department heads, I catch up with the Leadership Liberty group visiting from Hinesville.  It is always good to welcome groups from home, especially such a great group of civic leaders as this.  After running downtown to speak to the Board of Trustees of Georgia Southern University and give them an update on Higher Education issues in our state, I’m back at the Capitol as we go into session at 1PM.  I am honored to have 10 pages from the 4-H programs in Bryan and Chatham counties to help us in the Senate today.  Since we don’t have any action items on our calendar, we adjourn after less than an hour and committee meetings begin immediately afterwards.  I pass my first bill out of subcommittee today as SB 370, the annual Drug Update bill for Pharmacy.  Later I also pass SB 368, a bill allowing the state board of nursing to set up rules to require nurses in our state to have continuing competency as a condition of licensing.  It is a pleasure to welcome Armstrong Atlantic State University President Linda Blieken to the Capitol today as I join her and other members of the Chatham County delegation in a meeting with Governor Nathan Deal.            

Day 16 (Tuesday, February 7, 2012): Today is a very special day at the Capitol as we celebrate Girl Scouts of America Day.  Obviously, Savannah and the Girl Scouts have a strong bond and I am honored to be invited to the podium in the Senate to help welcome them.  We also celebrate Catholic Day as well as Columbus Day at the Capitol. Although we have many different celebrations most days we are in session, they are all special and the pride that each group takes in being honored at their state capitol is inspiring.  As we get down to business we pass 3 bills including SB 337, which will prohibit requiring a dentist or physician to participate in any public or private health insurance, public healthcare system, public service initiative or emergency room coverage as a condition of granting a state license to practice medicine.  We also pass SB 339 which transfers people and planes from the Georgia Aviation Authority back to DNR and the Forestry commission.  We also pass our first House bill of the year, HB 675 which removes the requirement that a non-accredited institution must be a four-year nonprofit institution in order to be accepted as an approved nursing program.      

Day 17 (Wednesday, February 8, 2012): After an early morning breakfast honoring University of Georgia Alumni currently serving in the legislature, I head over to the office to meet with Dr. Cheryl Dozier, the interim President of Savannah State College, who is doing an excellent job in guiding this important part of our community into the future.  Before heading to caucus, I stop by the Lt. Governor’s office to request a bill I dropped yesterday be assigned to a certain committee.  The Lt. Governor and members of the Committee on Assignments meet each morning before session to decide where bills introduced the previous day will be placed.  This can be crucial to the fate of a bill.  Unfortunately, my bill is assigned to another committee making my work even tougher. We have 3 more bills on the calendar today as we pass SB 343 removing the title and duties of the Comptroller General from the Commissioner and Department of Insurance and creating a new office under the State Accounting Office.  With the passage of this bill, the State Accounting Officers will serve as the Comptroller General of the State of Georgia. SB 351 also passes and will require municipal court judges over traffic courts and misdemeanor courts to have the same training as other judges. Later in the afternoon I am fortunate to pass SB 369, a bill to extend the automatic repeal date of the Georgia Geospatial Advisory Council to June 30, 2015.  

Day 18 (Thursday, February 9, 2012): Today we welcome over 400 pharmacist and pharmacy students to the Capitol as we celebrate VIP (Very Involved Pharmacist) day.  As I join this wonderful group for breakfast and we hear from some of our state’s top officials, such as Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens and Attorney General Sam Olens, I can’t help but be proud of my profession for such a great showing.  Later in the morning as we are in session, I am honored to be able to welcome them to the Senate and am all smiles as what seems like the entire gallery is wearing white lab coats.  We pass 3 bills again today as SB 333, which call for broader notification for foreclosure sales, and SR 715 urging Congress to expand the eligibility requirements of the guest worker program and allow states to administer their own guest worker programs monitored by the USDA both pass.  SB 357, authored by freshman Senator John Wilkinson from Toccoa, is a relatively simple bill that deals with the sale of treated timber products but receives much scrutiny as it is the freshman’s first bill.  After much harassment from the senior members of the Senate, the freshman’s bill passes with no opposition. The afternoon is filled with one meeting after another as we are in full swing now in Atlanta.  

Senator Buddy Carter can be reached at Coverdell Legislative Office Building (C.L.O.B.) Room 301-A, Atlanta, GA, 30334.  His Capitol office number is 404-656-5109.

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Paradigm Shifts—An Explanation for Fresh Success?

by Dennis Hooper, Columnist

I’m a member of the Georgia Coach Association (GCA), a state affiliate with the International Coach Federation. Each month, about sixty professional coaches within the state of Georgia gather to share insights and enjoy a program intended to advance the service we provide to our clients.

This week’s article is inspired by a viewpoint expressed at last week’s GCA session. The speaker asked each of us to share, in small groups, a significant paradigm shift we experienced in the past--some new awareness that has influenced everything that we’ve attempted since.

In debriefing the experience, one coach suggested, “It seems that whenever one of my clients shares a paradigm shift with me, he or she soon experiences some new success, a breakthrough of some sort.” That comment has resonated with me all week. In addition to stimulating this article, it has changed the interaction I expect to have with my clients.

I’ve always encouraged my clients to share their paradigm shifts with me. Usually, if some big insight occurred since our most recent conversation, the client will volunteer it. From now on, I expect I will make an explicit invitation at the beginning of every coaching call. Developing the habit of pausing to acknowledge a paradigm shift is a superb discipline for any leader.

Why invite my clients to share their insights with me? Two reasons. First, many leaders don’t have anyone within their normal circle of contacts with whom they can safely share some new awareness. Some leaders have an unspoken expectation of themselves that they, above all others in their organizations, are supposed to have all the answers. Admitting to a new insight amounts to confessing ignorance of something that might already be obvious to others.

Second, sometimes a leader will experience a new insight in the very act of describing a paradigm shift to me. It is exhilarating when a client stops right in mid-sentence, declaring, “You know what I just realized?” Then he or she continues with an idea that never would have occurred if not for the opportunity to articulate the new insight recently discovered.

Let me pause in case you’re wondering, “Just what is a paradigm shift?” The word may seem a bit fancy, but a paradigm is an understanding that has guided your actions for so long that you now believe that the way you see things is the truth. In reality, the way you “see” a situation is not “the truth” but a frame of reference based on your accumulated experiences.

Synonyms for “paradigm” are many: perspective, viewpoint, belief, mindset, outlook, perception, understanding, assumption, mental image, theory, model, interpretation, frame of reference.

A “paradigm shift” occurs when a new and relevant piece of information comes to you at just the right time. The experience is often unexpected, resulting in some kind of “Aha” insight. You are left with a knowing that is deeper and of more impact than “the truth” you thought you understood before.

The new awareness you have after a paradigm shift now seems obvious. You might wonder why you had such a different perspective before. Perhaps you ask a friend, “Why didn’t somebody make me aware of this earlier?” Sometimes the surprise knowledge takes a little while to sink in.

You might have argued passionately for your perspective before you gained the new information. It may not be that you were wrong before; it’s probable that your beliefs were merely incomplete. The new understanding has caused your awareness to be more extensive and accurate.

When your perspectives are more complete, you make better choices. Because you think with greater clarity and awareness, your actions lead to outcomes that are more successful.

I invite you to look more intently for opportunities to refine your perspectives. The potential for paradigm shifts occurs frequently, but they are very easy to overlook. Why? Because we are so deeply invested in seeking to validate what we currently think is “the truth.” As you become more experienced at recognizing new insights, you’ll realize how very much deceived we humans can be!

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Dennis Hooper is a leadership coach, helping organizations build future leaders. Contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Call him at (404)-575-3050. His website is www.buildingfutureleaders.com

Dennis Hooper, copyright © 2011, published in the Savannah