Everyone needs a sage

At a recent conference I attended, there was a session on mapping your network. This was a particularly interesting session on two accounts.

1. It highlighted the types of relationships we have and the frequency of the interaction. For example it made us analyze whether there were few people in our network versus many, we analyzed whether we have close relationships with people versus distant ones.  It even went on to plot those people who boost our energy versus those that just drain it. I have never plotted out my world like this before. Quite a revealing exercise. We did this in the professional context, however it is equally applicable in the personal one.

That part of exercise was the easy bit, the next bit made me think a little deeper.

2. The exercise then asked us to characterize these relationships, the labels proposed, although not exclusive were:
The sage
The caregiver
The devils advocate
The connector
The relentless coach
The visionary
The hero

I found two very strong people in my network who fitted two of these archetypes beautifully.  The first is "The Sage". This person offers their wisdom, their teaching and their experience. They link work with deeper purpose and create and find meaning in everything.

I found myself having a few sages around me, but let me tell you about my first one.  I met her as I was starting out in my corporate life, she was ten years my senior and just seemed to know a lot more than anyone else I knew. She also seemed to have done and experienced everything. She grounded me then as she does now. Today she has a very special birthday and she is wiser than ever.

I think everyone needs a sage.

Someone to call when you need that one piece of sensible advice to allow you to make the next step with more confidence. Who is yours? Anyone springing to mind?

Then there is my "Devils Advocate", I had a few of these too, but one particular one jumped out. She is challenging and shifts my perspective.  She pushes my boundaries of thought and gives me a good dose of reality when needed. She is the one I call about work and life frustrations. She's get me and I get her. We debate and disagree, she is demanding and super smart. She is also loving and loyal and would fight anyone who dare hurt me. This week is also a special one for her, not a milestone birthday, but something else. She gets to see me :-)

As I did the exercise I began to realize that I was extremely lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful people. These are just two examples, but I really had many others, as I am sure you do.

Once finished my personal mapping, I began thinking of other peoples network and thought about my own family. I think my Dad was lucky to have "a Sage" in his Uncle. Had my Great Uncle lived longer I am sure he would have been mine too. He was a kind man, a very gentle man and he loved me and my sister deeply. As a child I knew that. 

He held both professionally and socially important roles and he had served in the military.  Yes I think he was a sage to many.

So I leave you with a thought today around your network. Are you conscious about who is in your network and what role they play?  Who is your Visionary? To whom are you the Sage? Are you someones hero?

Get out a pen and paper out and start plotting.  It's a fun exercise.