Two way 'traffic' - teaching and learning

Last week I had a conversation with Liz. Among other items we touched on my 'dream' project - at that moment not completely finished yet - and a remark Liz made first startled me (as in: what? - hadn't really seen it in that way) and then it left me pondering about it for a few more days.

As Liz (and most of you too) knows my dream project concerns setting up a web-publishing unit (aka blog) for my dear friend and mentor Richard C (I'll write a case-study about the how and the why in the very near future).

Normally Richard advices me on marketing, business concepts, smart ways to work on your business (versus working hard in your business) and much more. And his advice is always sound, always with my 'strengths'/skills and character in mind. I've learned much from him and I'm always eager for him to teach me more. This started roughly 5 years ago and over time you start to know each other better, you start to appreciate acquired knowledge, unconditionally trusting that his advice will be for the better (because he has never let you down during these years).

Now, because I just knew that web-publishing would benefit Richard's own plans and goals in so many ways, because I can safely state that in these 10 months of intensive blogging I know a lot about it - mainly through trial and error ;- - because I knew that I could project manage this for him in such a way it wouldn't take up too much of his valuable time, I 'persuaded' him to 'give it a go'.

The project progressed well, very well indeed - if I say so myself - and within two weeks three pages and three posts were almost 'live', most web-marketing items in place, ready to launch.

Then that remarks of Liz got 'stuck' in my head: doesn't Richard find it strange to be in this changed relationship? Instead of giving me advice, teaching me how to go about things, for two weeks he was (and still is) on the receiving end. My first answer to Liz was a startled: no, he's quite comfortable in this role - I'm the one having to get used to this role reversal. Student becomes 'teacher'? - until then I saw it just as being the project manager.

We launched Richard's blog last Friday. Only this morning (BNI Ashford breakfast meeting) I understood the gentle shift in the relationship when I discussed the way he's going to reply to comment on his blog with him. As I always do with his advice (because I know his knowledge) he accepts my advice (because he knows my knowledge) and grows - as I do. It has become a 'two-way-traffic' relationship.

When I mentioned this to Liz this morning she suggested I wrote a blog-post about it (of course she would ;-)):  When your mentor learns from you

I said I would think about it.