Why you need a business mentor.
by Geeta Nadkarni on Oct 19 at 6:00 am
Why learn from your own mistakes when you can piggyback on someone else’s success? Here’s a guide on connecting with someone who can help you take your career to the next level.
Men•tor: 1. a wise and trusted counselor or teacher. 2. an influential senior sponsor or supporter.
It’s amazing how much you can learn just from hanging out with someone who’s doing what you want to be doing. Someone who’s been at it longer than you have and is open to sharing successes as well as hard lessons learned along the way.
Identifying a mentor is usually pretty easy: They are someone who is further along your chosen career path. Often, they’re particularly competent at some aspect of the biz that has you thwarted: marketing or designing a budget, for example. Creating your own mentorship program usually works best when you have a pre-existing relationship of some sort with your mentor– they might be your boss, former boss or a family friend. But this isn’t a rule that’s set in stone. You can actually turn just about anyone you’ve identified as helpful and knowledgeable into a mentor. The trick lies in finding a compelling answer to the question, “What’s in it for them?”
Think about it, most successful entrepreneurs are pretty busy. Nobody wants to be in a one-way relationship–especially if they have to overschedule themselves to do it!
So before you contact potential mentors, make sure you’ve checked everything off the following list:
Have a plan:
One of my own mentors once said to me, “Most people want to help. All you have to do is be able to articulate what you need in a way that people can understand and act on.” A mentor’s time is precious, so make sure you have a clear list of objectives that they can help you with. Do a SWOT analysis and list some questions so your mentor doesn’t have the added burden of trying to figure out what you really want out of your relationship.
Do your research:
Make Google and LinkedIn your best friends. Find out what’s going on in your mentor’s life from whatever sources you have handy, so you can approach them in a mutually beneficial way. A well placed detail woven into your conversation can go miles towards cementing the bond you’re creating with your mentor.
Mouth shut, ears open:
This is the whole point of getting a mentor anyway. While you certainly want to contribute to the conversation, what I mean here is to listen carefully to them when they talk. And not just about business: remember birthdays, favourite books, wine preferences, pet peeves. Then create a personal file (perhaps in Evernote, an online memory system that you can access on the go) that will help you show you care in a meaningful way. Everyone is flattered when someone takes the time to really listen to them and remember what they say.
Make their life easier:
This follows from the previous point about active listening. Think about offering to do a work exchange. For instance, if you own a catering business and you’re pairing up with a marketing mentor, you could send cupcakes unexpectedly or offer gift certificates as a thank you.
Always pick up the tab:
When you take a mentor out to dinner or coffee, you must ALWAYS pay the cheque. After all, they’re giving you their time without charging you a consultant’s fee. Also, think about it, they’re probably going to share insider tips and maybe even information that makes them feel vulnerable. You need to make it clear that you care and that you’re grateful.
Have you benefited from a mentor’s golden touch? What’s the best business advice someone ever gave you?
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