Virtual Mentor vs Role Model – Understanding the Difference
A virtual mentor is not a formal term. However, it’s the only way I can describe this type of person in my life. A virtual mentor is someone you’ve never met. This person is a role model, but also more than that as they do more than just lead by example.
For example, Michael Jordan is a great role model. But I wouldn’t call him my virtual mentor. On the other hand, Tony Dungy is both a great role model and a virtual mentor. The difference between Michael Jordan and Tony Dungy is their body of knowledge available for me to study and learn from.
Tony Dungy is the author of 5 books. His book, The Mentor Leader is also one of my favorites. Dungy has a blog and is often a featured guest on podcast. He not only lives by example as a role model should, but he also has a body of work that documents his philosophies.
Although I’ve never met Tony Dungy, I feel like I know what he would tell me if I was seeking advice from him. This is what makes Dungy a virtual mentor for me. This is also what differentiates Tony Dungy from Michael Jordan in my opinion.
You Need a Role Models and a Virtual Mentor – But the Virtual Mentor is More Important
Michael Jordan and Tony Dungy are both great role models. However, Michael Jordan doesn’t make much of an effort to provide thought leadership on sports, business, family, or anything else. He is a “lead by example” kind of guy, and there is nothing wrong with that. I’m still a big fan of Michael Jordan’s legacy in sports and business. There is also a ton you can learn from his example. Michael Jordan is the classic role model.
We all need role models like Michael Jordan we can look up to. Although, I think it’s more important to have a virtual mentor like Tony Dungy we lean on for advice. There are so many sources and people offering advice on everything these days. You will get lost if you can’t narrow down your sources to a few virtual mentors with trusted thought leadership.