[Flash] Advice Line with Guy Raz is Like Mentor Eavesdropping

How do we learn to mentor? By mentoring others.? ?

The next best way? Eavesdropping on other people mentoring. ?

And thanks to Guy Raz’s wildly popular podcast for entrepreneurs, How I Built This, we can unabashedly eavesdrop by listening to the episodes entitled “Advice Line.”? ?

During each “Advice Line” show, an early-stage founder (the Mentee) obtains advice from a seasoned business founder (Guy’s co-Mentor), like Tom Rinks, founder of Sun Bum, and Gary Erickson, founder of Clif Bar. ?

Each conversation follows the same formula: ?

Connect

Guy: “Welcome! Tell us your name, where you’re calling from, and the name of your business.”? ?

(Smart! Take a moment to learn a bit about a Mentee.) ?

Identify the Issue

Guy: “And tell us the question you brought for us.”? ?

The Mentee posits a question. If the Mentee begins to offer excessive details about their business, Guy kindly but directly interrupts, “Before we go there, what is your question?” ?

(Smart! Mentees often unload the whole story before revealing the issue.) ?

Seek Context and Backstory

Guy then asks his co-Mentor (the seasoned business founder): “What questions do you have for the early-stage founder before we offer advice?” ?

(Smart! We tend to solve problems when we hear them. But seeking context from a Mentee before offering help ensures our advice is relevant and valuable.)? ?

So, Guy and his co-Mentor ask questions to understand the situation better.

• “Why?did you start this business?”
• “How does your product work?”
• “What differentiates you from [a competitor]?”

Offer Guidance

With a greater understanding, the co-Mentors then share advice, provide examples from their own business-launching experience, and generate ideas.? ?

Explore the Advice

From there, the three entrepreneurs dialogue their ideas,?consider various options,?and challenge roadblocks.? ?

Express Gratitude and Conclude

Finally, the Mentee expresses appreciation for the advice and leaves with an action plan and a promise to follow up. ?

The Advice Line formula is deliberately focused, allowing the conversation to transpire organically but with intention.? ?

In just 15 minutes, the co-Mentors effectively observe, guide, advise, ideate, validate, and encourage a Mentee. ?

Every mentoring conversation, whether arising in a formal mentoring program or infused into a manager-employee meeting, is more productive when it has structured freedom.? ?

Of course, take mentor training and use mentor guides. But to elevate your mentoring skills, listen for opportunities to witness mentors mentoring – they inevitably mentor the eavesdropper!?

? 2024. Ann Tardy and MentorLead. www.mentorlead.com. All Rights Reserved.

ps. Have you registered yet for our 2024-Q3?complimentary webinar?? "Boost Mentoring Participation: Harness Motivational Assessments to Drive Employee Engagement and Retention" Date: Fri Aug 9?@ 10am PT | 11am MT | 12pm CT | 1pm ET Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_A_I21HsbSIu4Bamu-uEx5g#/registration