Mentoring: You don’t need all the answers
New leaders need mentorship and encouragement just as much as new moms do. In the same way that your role as a mentor is invaluable in caring for young moms in your group, you are equally valuable as a resource and advocate for the young leaders in your group. These budding leaders look to you for reassurance as they develop their leadership skills, while simultaneously balancing home, family, and work. As a mentor, your influence may be the difference between leadership success and joy, or failure and discouragement. For many young women, serving in a MOPS leadership role may be the first time in their lives they have been asked to motivate their peers, organize events, manage a budget, or spearhead a project. As exciting as leadership can be, unexpected obstacles, difficult people, and stressful situations are often part of leadership too. Just as you don’t have to be a mothering expert to support a new mom, you don’t have to be a leadership expert to support your MOPS leaders. Here are a few ways you as a mentor can connect with the young leaders in your group and make a lasting impact:
Pray regularly for her - Tell your leaders you are praying for them and ask them what specific things you can be praying over them as leaders. Ask not only when she is struggling, but when things are going well. It’s important for leaders to know they have a safe person to share their leadership challenges with and that someone is taking the time to think about and pray for them on a regular basis. Your faithful prayers bring a level of leadership confidence and hope only Jesus can provide.
Be her loudest cheerleader - Be the first one to clap when things are going well and the first to offer a hug when things go poorly. Remind your leaders that just as in motherhood, your mistakes do not define you. More than quick fixes, leaders want someone willing to walk the leadership journey with them and encourage them as they grow. Many women have never had a loving, mature woman in their life who is invested in their personal development as a woman, mother and leader. You as a mentor are uniquely placed to be that life-giving, leadership encourager!
Be a trusted resource - You don’t need to have all the answers, you just need to be available. Position yourself as a person who leaders know will point them in the right direction when they need some guidance. Depending on the situation, that may be scripture, church staff, their MOPS coach, MOPS online resources, or outside professional help. As a mentor, you have the life experience to know when a leader is in over her head, or when things are going so well it’s time to expand. In other words, you know a thing or two because you’ve seen a thing or two! Don’t wait to be asked - speak up and share your hard earned wisdom!
As author Janet Thompson says, “mentoring is simply sharing life's experiences and God's faithfulness.” As mentor, you already do this so well when it comes to motherhood. Don’t hesitate to offer that same level of caring mentorship to your leaders.
*This piece also appears in the 2020 MOPS Mentor book
