Please visit MCRC II

Click here to see the messages so far.   Participate here for MCRC's public benefit survey.

Become a member of MCRC II and add your experiences, thoughts, and dreams for better communication and relations with your neighbors.

Paul Hirsch writes about the virtues of mentoring and a program that he believes works well in Los Angeles County.

The Importance of Mentor Relationships

Like John Wooden and Bill Walton, the relationship between a mentor and protege can never be underestimated.  We travel through life -- sometimes rushing toward the next challenge, sometimes meandering aimlessly along the periphery -- surrounded by the darkness that uncertainty creates.  A strong mentor relationship can shine a guiding light through that uncertainty, illuminating the path of truth.

The Riordan Fellows Program at the Anderson School of Management, UCLA  (http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/community/riordan/), recognizes the value of such relationships.  Founded in 1987 by former Mayor Richard Riordan and Professor William Ouchi, the program's goal is to motivate and prepare promising students from diverse or disadvantaged backgrrounds to pursue higher education in management and become leaders in business, as well as the community.  The Riordan Program promotes this goal primarily through putting its fellows in contact with community leaders and encouraging them to develop ties that could lead to a mentor relationship.  Several students typically keep close contact with these leaders, from which they gain immeasurable insight into what it takes to succeed in life.  Also, fellows are paired with current business students that share experiences, address concerns and provide feedback to the fellows.  Since the program's inception, the success of the Riordan Fellows has been far-reaching, thanks in large part to the numerous mentorship opportunities available.  The willingness of the Riordan Program volunteers to invest themselves in the lives of others is having a direct impact on the futures of young adults on a daily basis.

As with all relationships, one between a mentor and a protege is a work in progress.  Sometimes that work carries a disproportionate weight.  But like any financial venture, it takes a personal investment to create the wealth afforded to those in a healthy mentor relationship.  This is something the volunteers of the Riordan Fellows Program have learned in their service, and it is why they continue to seek mentor relationships in various places throughout their lives.  The satisfaction of a successful mentor venture manifests itself not only in making something work, but in making it work for others.

Here are the thoughts of Paul Hirsch about John Wooden, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a resident in Los Angeles County.

Coach Wooden:  A Living Model of Service and Leadership

In a country where the highest civilian honor is all too often used for political reward, John Wooden shines as an exemplary recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  Absent his fantastic career in basketball, including admission to the Hall of Fame as both a player and coach, and an unfathomable ten national championships in twelve years, Coach Wooden would be just as deserving of this accolade.  He has lived his life without compromise to the values of respect, humility, determination and perseverance, and stands as a replicable model for each American interested in working to do good.

That which makes Coach Wooden an outstanding man has made him an outstanding teacher and national legend.  Non-profit managers of every interest owe it to themselves to learn from his teachings.  While the coach's organizational setting differed greatly from most other non-profit and governmental employers, his principles hold true for all.  Wooden's dedication and expectation of daily improvement and unceasing effort on the court was attainable because each member of his teams knew that he would do his best to enable the groups' successes.   Coach Wooden developed these trusting relationships by relentlessly studying his teams and utilizing each individual's strengths to reach the common goal.  Most importantly, Coach Wooden catalyzed an ever-growing cycle of respect - giving, earning, and never deviating - that forged unbreakable team bonds.

Ask Andre McCarter, the former UCLA basketball player and 1975 national champion.  McCarter, not UCLA or its prominent athletic boosters, led the nomination application for the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  More than 30 other former players wrote letters on behalf of their coach.  As with the non-profit employee and volunteer, the chief motivator with these Wooden alumni was not financial gain, but a sincere loyalty to a cause that they felt was right.  The story of those men and their dedication to a leader illuminates the possibilities for non-profit managers; even the most mild-mannered or unassuming of a group can motivate others and lead by example.

John Wooden can never be repaid in accolades for what he did for his players, nor would he expect to be.  In his autobiography, They Call Me Coach, Wooden says, "You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."  All the successes were simply a by-product result of what the coach learned at  an early age from his father about being true to oneself.  Each and every non-profit can gain from emulating the leadership of Coach Wooden and digesting his sage outlook on service.