The “P” and "Q" lists:

Exploring the different kinds of mentors there are... We either do these things for others or we seek them for ourselves.

Continuing with "P":

Parchment-or:  Shows you how to wear your brand like ink on your skin
Pavement-or: Builds a road with you to wherever you're going
Payment-or: Demonstrates how to barter and exchange with value
Pigment-or:  Helps you discern shades other than black or white
Postponement-or:  Stops you from leaping before looking
Preferment-or: Offers you the next promotion or big project
Presentiment-or: Someone whose response is always "tried that..didn't work..won't work now"
Puzzlement-or:  A great partner for solving riddles and finding ways out of dead ends

Q

Quiet Enjoyment-or: (thx Anne!)  Can sit in silence and relax while you both think
Quibblement-or:  Argues every nuance with you

Letting someone else be the star

As an 'opinionate' person (I hear you laughing...), I often find it hard to sit in meetings and not interrupt. So as a measure of whether or not I should speak up, I ask myself "Who needs to know that I know that?" and "Is it important that they know I know this? Now? Later?"

It has stopped me from interrupting many times. Not often enough...but more often. :-)

Recently, I attended an excellent discussion on leadership and storytelling - hosted by Rick Wolfe of PostStone. The point was made that one difference between a leader and someone aspiring to leadership is the switch from being the hero of one's own story, to offering the listener the chance to be the hero.

Interrupting and ensuring that the room knows that you already knew the fact/had the idea/like the idea/etc. is about you being the hero. A legitimate part of establishing brand and sometimes necessary thing to do (especially if the guys are not listening to the lone woman in the room as can happen). However, a good leader knows when it is better to let someone else be a star. Leadership isn't all about shining brighter; it's about encouraging others to shine more effectively.

The next time I'm tempted to interrupt, I'm going to remind myself that it's better leadership to sit quietly sometimes. My mentors are daring me to try...

Define "team"

Sports, business, medicine, arts.. the word "team" is often used - sometimes to explain how many folks are working on a project (even if they never all meet or talk),  sometimes to spread blame or make a decision seem less unilateral, occasionally to create a sense of togetherness.

What is a team? A body of people who hold regular meetings? Who are united in purpose or role?

I believe a team is a body of folks united in achieving a goal for which they each hold both a personal and a group stake.

Like mentoring (and Suzanne's comment on the previous posting), you can't truly participate if you have not articulated why you're doing what you're doing for yourself, your participation and contribution won't be as effective.

But what do you think?