The mentorship advantage
Sugar. Spice. And everything nice. What do you need to be a successful entrepreneur? More than it takes to make the Powerpuff Girls. Some say passion, commitment, and willpower are top of the list —all very true. I believe to be a successful entrepreneur you need a viable business model and a good mentor. What is the role of a mentor? One of my favorite books on this topic is, “Expect to win: 10 Proven Strategies for Thriving in the Workplace” by Carla A. Harris. She defines a mentor as “someone you rely upon to give you good, tailored developmental advice”. According to Futurpreneur Canada, the advantages of having a mentor are described in six points. A mentor helps you: Gain insights and perspective by having someone to bounce your ideas off of Focus on and strategically work towards your business vision Shorten your learning curve Identify opportunities and risk by learning with someone experienced Grow and enhance your business network and acumen Build confidence knowing you have someone in your corner Key traits of mentors As I write this, I think of all my mentors and the two key traits they all share: Expertise and integrity: Find a mentor you believe to be brilliant, knowledgeable and trust worthy. You want your mentor to be someone you will listen to because you trust their expertise Genuine interest in my development: This is what I call the mentor/mentee chemistry. Choose a mentor who is genuinely interested in who you are, understands your strengths and weakness and wants to help you develop and grow. Mentorship is a deep and personal relationship and for the relationship to be truly useful, you both must feel safe sharing the “good, bad and ugly” How to be a good mentee Having discussed the importance of mentorship and what to look for in a mentor, how do you become a good mentee? Listen Consider the advice you get and apply when relevant (This is why your mentor has to be someone you can trust) Set SMART goals and hold yourself accountable Ask for feedback and provide feedback in return Be honest and communicate openly with your mentor Invest time and effort in your relationship Most importantly, as a mentee, remember to pay it forward Peer mentorship is a form of mentorship that is often neglected but I find very valuable especially in my professional and business life. Keep in mind; your mentor must have some expertise and be genuinely interested in who you are and your development from a point of low self-interest. Many times, you can find these qualities in a peer. To my mentors: Thank you for teaching me to be positive and fiercely myself. Reminding me I have all I need, to be who I want to be—a healthy mind and body. Thank you for demanding I think big. Because, why the heck not.