As a Leader Do You Have a Mentor

Home / As a Leader Do You Have a Mentor

Mentoring is one of those things that is hard to explain the impact of, but once you experience it you know how powerful it can be!

A mentor is somebody who you can talk to and obtain guidance, support and feedback.

This might be on a one-to-one basis, or maybe as part of a group.

The form that mentoring takes is less important to discuss than its power and what it gives you.

Mentoring unlocks your blind spots; it gives you perspectives you might never have considered; it unlocks potential within you that you might not have known you had.

I don’t know anyone who has reached their A-game without some element of mentoring, whether that’s a paid coach or a trusted advisor who they just go to for counsel, or to talk through ideas.

The form and structure of mentoring can vary, but having a mentor of some kind is one of the most powerful, beneficial and revealing things you can do for yourself.

What makes a good mentor?

There are a few things to look for:

1) They are fantastic and insightful listeners.

Good mentors are active listeners, listening to not only what you say but what you don’t say. They can unhook the problem before you even know it’s there.

2) They cut through the BS and get specific.

They are like a sharp knife, cutting away the debris and distraction to get to exactly the area you need help with. You might go to them looking for advice on X, Y, Z.

They will talk things through with you and realise the issue is in fact just Y, you don’t need to worry about X or Z, as they will resolve once you’ve dealt with Y.

3) They are completely honest with you.

Not only about what you’re capable of and your limitations; they’re honest about timescales and your capacity. But they also won’t allow these to hinder you, they will help you to understand how to work around or break through those limitations.

4) They will hold you accountable.

They won’t let you go about your business unchecked; they will follow up on what you’ve talked about, they will ensure that you’ve done whatever you agreed to. They are as invested in your development as you are.

5) They’re trustworthy.

There’s an enormous amount of trust in the mentoring relationship because your mentor is the one person you’re going to be completely honest with because this is essential for progress.

They are invested in, but emotionally detached from your success. They’re empathetic about issues you face but won’t let you be swallowed by them.

If you’re lucky enough to have a mentor, make sure you use them…

If you don’t have a mentor, find one!!

Ask yourself…Who do you like? Who do you respect? Who do you admire?

It could be somebody you know personally, somebody you follow on social media, somebody you recently met. Figure out WHO that person is and go speak to them.