Hermit Crabs and Mentors

So, we’ve talked about why having mentors is crucial and how they’ve helped me personally. Now, let me share an analogy from one of my plant managers that really stuck with me. This story is a great example of leading with a narrative, and if you haven’t read “Lead with a Story” by Paul Smith, I highly recommend it.

Imagine if you will - It’s important in life to have role models—people you admire and aspire to be like. Whenever possible, surround yourself with these individuals and learn as much as you can from them. This isn’t about brown-nosing or sucking up; it’s about recognizing the hard work and dedication they’ve invested in themselves and aspiring to do the same for yourself.

Sometimes, we get too caught up in worrying about what others might think, rather than focusing on what’s truly important for our own growth. Observing others can be incredibly instructive. For example, consider hermit crabs. They don’t produce their own shells but rely on finding and occupying shells discarded by others. Without these shells, they would be vulnerable to danger.

Similarly, following those who have big dreams and strong motivation (their “shells”) can help you find your own path and protect yourself as you grow. The lesson here is to be like a hermit crab: seek out those who can help you grow and fill the roles you need to thrive.

Now, let me share my insights and reactions from people at the plant. There were some like me who really turned this speech inward and wanted to apply it, but there were also some who decided that the meaning of this speech was the plant manager wanted everyone to be just like him (the plant manager) and should follow him around so we could pick up his cast-offs.

?What I took from this speech was the need to surround yourself with people who are going to challenge you, who are going to push you, who are going to help you grow. This is true with any profession but also very applicable to life. If all we do is surround ourselves with “Yes Men,” people that only tell us what they think we want to hear, we will never be able to grow, our shell will never get bigger. Without people pushing me, I would never have made the change from operations to Plant Safety. If it hadn’t been for someone pushing me to be more, I would never have made the transition from Plant Safety to Regional Safety. A hermit crab can be placed in an area with bigger shells (this is people pushing me), but the hermit crab still needs to decide to move from one shell to another. If we do not have people to push us in our lives, there is no growth; we become stagnant and cease to grow. Do not expect things to be handed to you in life, no matter how much you think you have earned something, you must still go out and put yourself in the area of the bigger shells.

So, the takeaway here is to actively seek out those who can help you grow and challenge you to be better. Surround yourself with people who push you to move into bigger shells, and you’ll find yourself growing in ways you never imagined.

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Let’s connect and share insights! Feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn: James Fabrizio CSP CIT?

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