The end of Top-Down Guru Mentoring

I love how the universe works.

On Tuesday, I gave a 45 minute talk at AWAI's 2021 FastTrack to Copywriting Success Bootcamp on co-mentoring and what it looks like.

I told the crowd the old top-down guru model of mentoring is dead.

And the universe just served up an example to me on a platter, just a few hours later. It was one of those beautiful serendipity moments.

It took top copy chief, Angie Colee, 16 minutes to school me in her short video last night because she was so worried about what I might say.

I think it was the third time that Angie prefaced her feedback with, ”Look, I know you're really good at copywriting. You're one of the best. But I hope you can hear me when I say…”

That I started cracking up.?

Honestly, if Angie hadn’t been so worried about upsetting me, I think it would have been more like a six minute video.

It speaks to what an amazing copy chief she is, that she was so respectful and aware of my feelings, even though I was thrilled for the feedback.?

You see, I am a long-form direct response sales copywriter. Give me an old school sixty page magalog or a sixty minute video script, and I'm your girl. Give me six lines or six paragraphs, and I'm going to struggle.?

Angie on the other hand has tons of experience with email launch copy. She's coached and run creative teams for companies like Lowes, Product Launch Formula, Copy Chief, and Orzy Media.?

What Angie pointed out in her short video was that I had started to sound like a long-winded finger-waving, pince-nez glasses wearing professor in my emails. (My words, not hers ??). A little too much lecturing and not enough fun.?

Angie said, “Marcella, I miss hearing your cackle from the back of the room when something cracks you up. I miss you shouting out “go girl,” like a demented cheerleader when I'm on stage. And I miss watching you tear up at the sound of the chime.”

“Where did that woman go?”

Her critique was absolutely spot on and she took the time to go through several of my recent emails and point out where I could improve them based on her years of experience, working for Jeff Walker at Product Launch Formula and others.

Now here’s the thing...

I have mentored Angie in the past around owning her authority. I have yelled at her gently for not speaking up more about her wealth of experience with some of the top leaders in our industry like Jeff Walker and others.?

Angie has led entire teams. She knows her stuff, and yet she sometimes hesitates to own that authority. So I have been pushing her and mentoring her to do this.?

And last night I had the real pleasure of having her mentor me.

This is what real co-mentoring looks like.?

But it doesn’t work if you always have to be the guru, or the authority on everything.

You have to be willing to be open. As I said in my talk yesterday, you have to be vulnerable, open, willing, and honest.?

As soon as I watched Angie’s critique, I knew her feedback was absolutely spot on.

Everything she said made sense to me.

But the best part is I asked Angie if she would share her own story of growth with us and talk about the amazing expansion I've seen in her this past year.

I asked her to talk about how she has embraced risk-taking, including sending someone you see as a mentor a video message at 10:30 p.m. at night telling her you think she could do better.?

We're going to show you what co-mentoring looks like up close and personal at our Closing The Success Gap event.

Angie Colee is a confidence coach and business strategist who works with creative entrepreneurs to help them conquer fears, break through anxiety blocks, and start or grow a business with rockstar confidence. Since 2018, she's helped hundreds of creative freelancers start their own successful businesses.?

Angie will be sharing her wisdom and experience on closing the Growth Gap. And if you want to know what it’s like to be schooled by the best, then make sure join us for a dose of Angie’s wisdom.

The next time someone offers you mentoring, check your ego at the door. We all have something to learn from each other and you’ll see the power of co-mentoring first hand at the Closing the Success Gap event as twenty top female freelancers and entrepreneurs pay it forward.

Marcella - the one in the back row screaming, “You go girl!” at the top of my lungs.