Top Tips To Being a Great Mentor
James Caan CBE
Recruitment Entrepreneur Chairman | Serial Entrepreneur | Investor on BBC's Dragons’ Den (2007-2010)
During the course of my career in business, as I have become more successful I have always believed in the importance of lending a helping hand to others looking to make a success of their lives.
Running a business, especially in the early years can be a stressful and demanding experience, especially when times are tough and everything is not going to plan. Having a good mentor who has experience can be invaluable and you will find that most entrepreneurs are more than happy to give their time and advice to people starting out.
Mentoring somebody who is new to business is not always straightforward - there can be many challenges, both with the business and the mentee themselves. Here are some key skills needed to become a good mentor.
Patience
To fully understand the issues that affect the person you are helping you need to understand their business and what stage it is at in its development. The first stage in the mentoring process is the ability to sit and listen to the person and talk about their business. All the best mentors are the people who actually have the ability to listen and take on board what is being said to them. Remember communication is always a two way process.
Honesty
Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind and that is why it is vital to be as honest and frank as possible throughout the mentoring process. Owner managers, especially those who run small family outfits, are often the last people to fully grasp the problems and issues facing a business. Running a business can become very personal and a key part of mentoring is to remove emotion from the process. Often an outsider coming to a business with an open mind can spot a fault or a problem easier than those closest to the issue. The key is to be honest and up front rather than taking the route of avoiding difficult and sensitive issues.
Positivity
Although you may have to deliver some tough and difficult messages it is vital to remain positive throughout the process. Even when businesses are struggling there are usually common sense reasons why there are problems. The role of a mentor is to offer help and support without being negative. You should always accentuate the positive and offer practical solutions to difficult situations. Encourage the entrepreneur on the course of action they are taking and never allow their heads to drop.
Focus
The focus of any mentoring session should always be the person who comes for help and advice. As well as being able to listen, a mentor should focus on the problems and issues at hand. In a situation where you are giving advice and help, the temptation is to talk about your own experiences and career. Shifting the focus onto the mentor is simply a waste of time and effort for everyone involved. After all, the whole point of the exercise is to offer support, advice and expertise to those who are at the beginning of the business journey.
Keep up to date with all the latest news, jobs and videos at Hamilton Bradshaw.
Medical Device Sales Professional I Abbott I Medtronic I Avanos I BioGenex I GE healthcare I
11 年Nice One.
Foreign Trade Evangelist | Founder@ ASK Global | Partner@ Go Global Advisors| We Build Your Business' International Expansion Strategy & Execute it
11 年Very Good Article. I think the most effective mentor - mentee setup is where one can develop a 'Personal relationship' with a 'Professional attitude'
International Trainer,Mentor and Leadership Coach
11 年"You have to be cruel to be kind and thats where it important to be honest and frank "- A very meaningful and true statement .Being assertive helps in being honest and open with the mentee. I mentor senior management and in the process of mentoring and I find that empathy is very important .Being empathetic helps relate better to the mentee and develop trust and better understanding. Affective empathy, also called emotional empathy is the capacity to respond with an appropriate emotion to another's mental state while Cognitive empathy is the capacity to understand another's perspective or mental state. Focusing ,being positive and having loads of patience are keys to good mentoring ,I wholly agree .Thanks for this excellent post Mr Caan.
Cybersecurity Advisor, Consultant, Board Member, Veteran, and Volunteer
11 年Good summary of tips on mentorship. I have bought into the idea of mentor-protoge' relationships now for the past 8 years, and wish I had access to these types of articles/blogs before then. Now, I will have always have one or two mentors for myself, and one or two protoges'. The benefits keep coming - great read! What I lookk for in a mentor are characteristics that I see in them that I would like to have myself.