#06: 6 Wands a’ Waving From, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” – J. K. Rowling Arthur. Frodo. Harry. Luke. It is doubtful that any of these reluctant heroes could have accomplished what they did without the support of a mystic master, offering a wondrous mix of rigorous training, sagely wisdom, and a kind of fatherly concern. These stories of tutor and pupil describe such honored relationships that one of them defines a significant practice in modern professional culture. When King Odysseus left for the Trojan War, he commended the leadership training and personal development of his son Prince Telemachus to a trusted friend who was an older man. His friend’s name was Mentor. This image captures an important moment in Harry Potter’s sixth year at Hogwarts. The Death Eaters have breached the school’s defenses and his mentor, Albus Dumbledore, is about to be killed. (And yes, I do know the scene does not accurately reflect Rowling’s narrative.) When viewed collectively, the tales present an important lesson about leadership. You don’t choose your mentors. They choose you. Some of my mentors are included on the distribution list for this series. Even as I will continue to honor them as great teachers, I also regard them now as treasured friends. “Props” to DigitalCreations (square glasses, stormball, ), PhilC (wizard robe), Chem (round glasses), richibari (skull), and anyone I may have missed. Selections from the same shelf: “The Sword in the Stone,” T. H. White “Eragon,” Christopher Paolini “Return of the Jedi,” George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan