Finding A True Mentor
Edition #147
Introduction
Welcome to The ContraMind Code.
The ContraMind Code provides you with a system of principles, signals, and ideas to aid you in your pursuit of excellence.
The newsletter shares the source code through quick snapshots for a systems thinking approach to be the best in what you do.
The Code helps you reboot and reimagine your thinking by learning from the best and enables you to draw a blueprint on what it takes to get extraordinary things done. Please share your valuable thoughts and comments and start a conversation here.
Take a journey to www.contraminds.com. Listen and watch some great minds talking to us about their journey of discovery of what went into making them craftsmen of their profession to drive peak performance.
Take 5: Not So Fast!
A little patience can lead to better ideas, stronger organizations, and more ethical conduct at work.
In a fast-paced world, we always look for instant gratification - be it our career, outcomes for the work we do, the effort we put in, results of the strategy we implement, quick adoption of new ideas that we come up with if you are in a startup, etc. This article from Kellogg Insight is an excellent reminder to accept that sometimes good things will come to us if you are willing to wait.
Here are some key points for you to ponder from the article:
When there’s a problem, many of us think we should take fast, decisive action—but those actions can backfire. According to Prof. Sridharan, “CEOs are under a lot of pressure to meet market expectations. Sometimes, these market pressures may compel some CEOs to try to manage reported earnings, but such efforts can hurt the firm in the long run.”
The right long-term decision can look like a bad short-term decision. According to Prof. Daniel Powell, “Doing something that looks like it might not be efficient today may actually help to cultivate long-term relationships.”
Short-run thinking can often contribute to corner-cutting—or even outright delinquency. According to Prof. Loran Nordgren, “Thinking of your future self can help curb this tendency.”
None of us is getting any younger—and many of us perceive that brilliant ideas are linked to youth. But that’s not always the case. According to Prof. Benjamin F Jones, “If you look at age and great achievement in the sciences in general, it doesn’t peak in the twenties. It’s more middle-aged.”
Read the complete article here.
From A BSc Student to Advertising Legend: The R. Sridhar Story
In this conversation, R.Sridhar, who served on the Ogilvy Management Board and founded Ogilvy One Worldwide in India, discusses his life journey and lessons. It is an incredible masterclass for any marketing and advertising professional on what it takes to become a legend in this business.
Here are some key takeaways from this conversation:
Success in advertising comes from understanding human psychology and motivation, not just creative excellence.
The best mentors don’t just teach skills but help overcome self-limiting beliefs. David Ogilvy and Mani Ayer helped Sridhar see his perceived weaknesses as strengths.
Brand building requires holistic orchestration across all touchpoints. It’s not just about communication but about aligning every aspect to build trust and influence behaviour.
Leadership is about empowering teams through persuasion rather than authority. Sridhar’s experiences show how giving people freedom within a framework produces better results.
Career growth should focus on fulfilment rather than conventional success metrics. As Sridhar demonstrates, following your interests while staying open to learning leads to meaningful achievement.
You can also listen to the entire conversation on:
Apple Podcast| Amazon Music | YouTube Music
The Thrill and Threat of Mind Hacking
Can your mind really be hacked?
We have heard of computers being hacked, but is it really possible for human minds to be hacked?
In this Bloomberg Originals story, answers to these questions are becoming possible with brain implants.
The way computers will change in the future is that we will be able to integrate an individual’s mind or emotions as a core component of a computer.
Brain-computer interfaces are enabling direct communication between the brain and the machines.
Will AI break the last barrier to human free will? Nobel Laureate Geoffery Hinton defines free will as doing something to achieve one's own goals, not doing something to achieve somebody else’s goals.
Once we open our minds to these devices, tech companies and the government will have access to our thoughts. Would they take advantage of it? Geoffery Hinton’s answer is cryptic, “ Why would they not?”
You can watch the above video by clicking on the above link.
Finding A True Mentor
A true mentor has a lasting impact on one’s life.
Listening to the conversation with R.Sridhar and his life journey, it was fantastic to observe how mentors can make a difference in one’s life principles, ambition and one’s own definition of success. More importantly, they leave evergreen memories of lessons learnt, actions, and behaviours they exhibited in the person’s mind even after they are long gone.
In an era where being a coach or a mentor is widely prevalent, what differentiates the best mentors from the average?
Interestingly, only some of your bosses or managers can be your mentors. Only a select few can play the role of mentor in your life. Most may be there because of an organisational hierarchy or structure to do a specific task or role. But, the true mentors among them ‘invest their time at the cost of their own career priorities’ to genuinely prepare you for the future, not just the present.
Sometimes, people in higher positions confuse designation, power, authority and experience as a passport to being a mentor. They are the ones who you should stay away from.
The best mentors see the potential that their mentees have yet to see in themselves. This requires a deep understanding of their mentees after thoroughly observing what they do, analysing their talent, attitude, and work ethic and instilling a sense of hunger in them to succeed.
To find the best mentor for yourself, you need to look at the following markers that differentiate the best mentors from the average:
Don’t confuse career achievers to be great mentors. That’s really what the market is filled with. Some of the best mentors may not be successful as career achievers but possess deep knowledge of techniques and expertise that they are willing to share and groom people into.
The best mentors tend to be lifelong learners. They continuously upgrade their skills and capabilities not for a few more dollars or promotions but to be the best at their work or what they do.
Best mentors are hard to work with rather than easy to work with. The best mentors are candid and ruthless in their feedback and expectations. They don’t want the ‘best manager’ or ‘best boss’ award. They have one single-minded focus - your personal growth and success.
The best mentors are doers. They practice what they preach. If they expect you to work really hard and put in effort, you will see them put in more effort and hard work than expected. They are the ones you should seek mentorship from.
The best mentors are uncompromising. They have strong viewpoints, are deeply convinced about what works, and fight for their approach to be followed, adhered to, or practised, regardless of what you think or feel at that moment.
Best mentors invest time. The best mentors don’t sell their time for money alone. They know it takes time for you to get convinced of what you need to do, are patient and persistent in their follow-through, and look for that ‘one moment’ when you get inspired to start putting inordinate effort without having to push you.
Best mentors follow your progress. You may have moved on or become professionally more busy and successful. But they follow your progress even though they have nothing to benefit or gain from. They continue to give tips and advice as your success is foremost in their mind.
Best mentors have a ‘divine dissatisfaction’ about your achievements. They believe you can do more and may still feel you are not giving it your best even though, in the eyes of others and the world, you are seen as successful. When the world celebrates your achievements, they have an eye for your improvement to achieve further.
The best mentors don’t live for the world but for their own benchmarks and values. They are genuinely interested in your success ahead of theirs. It’s hard to find them if you don’t honestly search for these traits and seek them out.
Some of the lessons we learnt from this week’s mission:
Good things will come to us if you are willing to wait.
The best mentors don’t just teach skills but help overcome self-limiting beliefs.
Success in advertising comes from understanding human psychology and motivation, not just creative excellence.
Tomorrow's computers will integrate an individual’s mind or emotions as its core component.