Choosing Your Mentor part 1

I have been in the industrial sales market for over 15 years and have worked with various organizations throughout the large market selling both tangible and intangible goods.  The more successful people I have met in sales all have three main things in common.  The number one thing which has contributed to the success of sales people is having great high level contacts. I am not going to discuss in this article how they have obtained those contacts, but I will expand on the topic in the near future.  The second item high achievers have is that they are constantly working to develop their professional skills.  The last thing I see that top sales executives have is a mentor. This is what I’d like to explore in this article.

Why do you need a mentor?

Reason one: we all make mistakes when it comes to our personal and professional lives. The two are not always mutually exclusive.  If you had the option to talk with someone who could provide you wise counsel and it would cost no more than a cup of coffee or a lunch, then it would be time and money well spent.

Reason two: a good mentor will have an established network of people they trust to provide feedback or to validate their understanding.  A great mentor might be able and willing to help you open doors of opportunity to advance both your personal and professional life.  A great mentor will understand that by helping you he will also reap benefits by demonstrating additional value in developing relationships.

Reason three: a good mentor can take an objective view of what you are going through and can help you navigate the challenge(s) you are facing.  A great mentor will take advantage of every challenge you face and teach you how to lead others by seeing the challenge as the opportunity it can be.

Now that you know you need a mentor, how can you find one you can trust?  My advice is not to have just one mentor but to have several, or your very own "wise council."  The easiest way to find a mentor is to use social media sites like LinkedIn, or ask someone you know and respect if they would be willing to mentor you.  It is very important to set healthy boundaries in regards to what topics you discuss.  I also suggest not divulging any information which could lead to legal problems.

In the next article I will provide a general guideline on how to have a mentor relationship and how you should also become a mentor yourself.  Please feel free to ask questions or leave comments.  If you would like me to send you a copy of the power point presentation I have created regarding this subject, please message me.  I hope you all have great success in your current and future endeavors!