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On Your Way from Leadership to Mentorship
From Leadership to Mentorship with Shawn Smith (Boston Red Sox, GM – Florida Operations)
SHOW NOTES:
What does it take to move from being the one “in charge” to the one who champions others? In this conversation, I sit down with Shawn Smith, General Manager of Florida Operations for the Boston Red Sox, to unpack how mentorship multiplies impact—on teams, culture, and long-term results. We talk spring-training scale, building trust, developing leaders at every level, and the simple rhythms that turn experience into someone else’s advantage.
Why Listen
- Learn a practical framework for shifting from doer/decider to developer/mentor
- Hear inside-baseball (literally) stories on aligning operations, player development, and community
- Walk away with a 90-day mentorship game plan you can put into practice this quarter
Key Takeaways
- Mentorship is leverage: One leader can move a project; a mentor can move a generation.
- Clarity > control: Clear standards, consistent check-ins, and shared scorecards beat micromanagement.
- Trust compounds: Small wins, seen and celebrated, build the confidence required for stretch roles.
- Proximity matters: Mentors create intentional touchpoints—pre-briefs, post-mortems, and walk-arounds.
- Playbooks prevent drift: Document the “how we do it here” so growth doesn’t dilute culture.
The 90-Day Mentorship Challenge
- Pick 2 people (one emerging leader, one peer).
- Set a cadence: 30 minutes, every other week.
- Run this loop: goals → reps → feedback → next rep.
- Measure 3 metrics: ownership, decision quality, and communication speed.
- Celebrate a visible win at day 90.
“Leadership is measured by outcomes. Mentorship is measured by others’ outcomes—long after you leave the room.”
Shawn Smith serves as General Manager, Florida Operations for the Boston Red Sox, overseeing the club’s operations in Florida, including spring training and community engagement.
Links & Mentions
- Boston Red Sox – Florida Operations (Spring Training)
- Connect with Shawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnhpsmith/
- Connect with Darla: www.darlabonk.com | @DarlaBonkConsulting
Call to Action
If this episode sparked something, share it with a leader who’s ready to become a mentor—and leave a 5-star review to help more leaders find the show.
View all episodes
By Darla Betzer BonkFrom Leadership to Mentorship with Shawn Smith (Boston Red Sox, GM – Florida Operations)
SHOW NOTES:
What does it take to move from being the one “in charge” to the one who champions others? In this conversation, I sit down with Shawn Smith, General Manager of Florida Operations for the Boston Red Sox, to unpack how mentorship multiplies impact—on teams, culture, and long-term results. We talk spring-training scale, building trust, developing leaders at every level, and the simple rhythms that turn experience into someone else’s advantage.
Why Listen
- Learn a practical framework for shifting from doer/decider to developer/mentor
- Hear inside-baseball (literally) stories on aligning operations, player development, and community
- Walk away with a 90-day mentorship game plan you can put into practice this quarter
Key Takeaways
- Mentorship is leverage: One leader can move a project; a mentor can move a generation.
- Clarity > control: Clear standards, consistent check-ins, and shared scorecards beat micromanagement.
- Trust compounds: Small wins, seen and celebrated, build the confidence required for stretch roles.
- Proximity matters: Mentors create intentional touchpoints—pre-briefs, post-mortems, and walk-arounds.
- Playbooks prevent drift: Document the “how we do it here” so growth doesn’t dilute culture.
The 90-Day Mentorship Challenge
- Pick 2 people (one emerging leader, one peer).
- Set a cadence: 30 minutes, every other week.
- Run this loop: goals → reps → feedback → next rep.
- Measure 3 metrics: ownership, decision quality, and communication speed.
- Celebrate a visible win at day 90.
“Leadership is measured by outcomes. Mentorship is measured by others’ outcomes—long after you leave the room.”
Shawn Smith serves as General Manager, Florida Operations for the Boston Red Sox, overseeing the club’s operations in Florida, including spring training and community engagement.
Links & Mentions
- Boston Red Sox – Florida Operations (Spring Training)
- Connect with Shawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnhpsmith/
- Connect with Darla: www.darlabonk.com | @DarlaBonkConsulting
Call to Action
If this episode sparked something, share it with a leader who’s ready to become a mentor—and leave a 5-star review to help more leaders find the show.