Models, partners and protégés

Dear Friends,

Recently, I received a LinkedIn message from a man I had never met before, the president of a faith-based for-profit inspection company: "Thomas, I am looking for a partner in our industry. How do I go about sourcing this need?"

His question stabbed deep into my psyche, as at the time, I was currently thinking about the nature of different types of connections, and I loved the intentionality of his search for a partner.

Connections are intentional; they don't happen merely by accident. You can bump into someone and say "hi," but that isn't a real connection. If you want to make an acquaintance into a real connection that will have benefit to both parties, it takes initiative. It takes time. It takes an effort of engagement. It may even take some bravery to get out of a comfort zone. Having a connection implies belonging, and connections are significant in accomplishing your purpose. We can grow through these connections and relationships.

I've been taught that there are three types of deeper relationships we can have: models, partners and proteges. This is true in all aspects of our lives, including spiritual connections, family connections, social connections, etc. But where do we spend the most time if not on the job?

Let me quickly address the three types from a business perspective.

Models. In order to grow, we should connect with people who can serve as models for our lives. A model is simply a mentor who says, "Watch me" -- not to watch them for everything, but in their areas of expertise. "I got this," goes the thinking of the model.

Models expand our vision of what we can do by showing us it can be done. "If he can do it, so can I," goes the thinking of the protege. A great example is the "four-minute mile." The idea of running a four-minute mile seemed unattainable and unachievable for decades until Roger Bannister did it in 1954. Do you know that within one year of him breaking this record, 12 other people did it? They watched Roger as a model, were inspired, imitated his training and lifted their own performance. Today, over 1,400 people have broken the four-minute barrier, including a college freshman in Nebraska just last month. What a model Bannister was in his area of expertise!

I am now speaking to the models in our industry. Do you know that you are being called to serve others by serving as an example? People need a pattern to watch in order to up their game. Be generous of spirit, invest, and teach or mentor someone else. It's a way of giving back, ensuring we have talent to run our businesses into the next generation. The industry's continuation is dependent on you becoming a person who not only experiences personal growth but turns around and helps grow other people.

Partners. As the word implies, partners offer more of a horizontal relationship than a vertical one. They are typically peers. Partners help fill each other's voids or weaknesses. Partners think of ways to encourage one another, to stimulate each other to new heights of performance. Partners share best practices and serve as a sounding board when needed. Partnerships can be established formally via contractual relationships or informally through industry associations or other means. However they are established, they are done so intentionally and with purpose. No one walks alone.

Proteges. Look for ways to connect with people who will serve as models in your life. Sometimes we are the givers, and sometimes we need to receive. Again, make this intentional. Every successful person in your organization has had the benefit of at least one mentor and model, likely many. You probably should have different models for different tasks. And keep in mind that you are not merely taking in this relationship. In the short term, proteges can often relieve mentors of workload by taking simpler tasks off of their plate. In the long run, you can bless and reward your mentor by becoming an expert yourself. It is a mysterious truth that it is better to give than to receive. And for a model, there is no greater joy than seeing a protege master a task. How do models know they did a good job training and teaching someone? The student begins to turn around and train others.

The connections can be messy. People are imperfect and will let you down on occasion. One person might have two roles with another, partnering in some areas and modeling in others. Some roles may change over time. Most connections won't last forever, but the lessons, experience and knowledge you gain from them will. So be brave, be intentional, and look to step into all three of these roles to grow yourself and others through connections.

In the March issue of BIC, we feature interviews with Cathy Culpepper, vice president -- Manufacturing Americas, INEOS Styrolution; Richard G. Harbison, Lake Charles Refinery manager, Phillips 66; Tom Cunningham, president and CEO, CLIMAX; Pete Vrettakos, CEO and founder, AXIOS Industrial Group; and Edward Cavazos, director of Gulf Coast Operations, ASAP Drug Solutions Inc.

We also present a wide array of articles on topics important to your business, such as critical supply chain solutions to rising global energy demand, how to reduce contractor safety risk through increased transparency and communication, pipeline projects planned to relieve infrastructure bottlenecks, situational leadership skills essential for successful turnarounds, why we switch to summer fuel blends in the springtime, and how to practice what we preach about safety.

I hope you find a number of articles and data points that help you get connected with folks, companies and concepts that will make your job better, easier, more efficient and/or safer. We at BIC are always looking for ways to make fruitful connections.

*Special thanks to one of my spiritual partners and models, Bruce Wesley, for deepening my understanding of connections. I credit him with this message.

Thomas Brinsko