Be judicious with your time, choose your protégés wisely.

You now made it to a really great altitude: you’ve had career success and climbed up the ladder to some higher rungs from where you started.  

And you also know that the help you received from others (mentors, advisors and thought leaders) along the way was a big part in reaching your goals.  Perhaps you are now even ready to pay it forward, and are looking to share what you’ve learned with others.  Awesome, pass your wisdom on!

...but do it thoughtfully.  Protégés, even high-potential ones,will take A LOT of time outside your day to day job.  Before you agree to mentor someone ask yourself a few key questions:

• Do they need and want to receive your advice?

• Do they have the time to put into practice what you share with them?  

• Will they act on it, first in dialogue with you and then in action? 

You earned your experience and wisdom, likely it was expensive to you in time and thought.  Spend it wisely.