Finding a Mentor

We are all victims of it – “I am so busy I just don’t have the time to work on myself or my business.” Or, “I never have enough time in the day to sit back and reflect on how I could do things differently or better.”  Does any of this sound familiar?  I felt this way and went to a trusted advisor to ask for help.  She suggested I find a mentor.  A few people came immediately to mind but then my negative mindset took over and my next thought was, “They would never have the time for me.”  For a few months, the negative voice in my head won and I put off contacting George.  My constant excuses included, “I’ll get to it next week and he will probably say no anyway.”  Finally, I made a phone call, left a message and a day later received a call back with a suggestion that we meet over lunch to discuss my needs.  One of the reasons I wanted George to be my mentor was because he is so thoughtful in his actions.  He is not one to quickly say yes or no but rather one to take time to discover the needs and then determine if a partnership makes sense.

I have been blessed to work with a business mentor.  This month, I wanted to encourage each of you to find a business mentor or advisor to work with you help you grow professionally and personally.  Whether you are looking for a job or running a department or business, a mentor can help you.   My favorite definition of a mentor is “a wise and trusted advisor.”  To me, that says it all.  It is someone who knows enough through life experiences to be able to share stories.  Not someone who tells you what to do, but instead shares stories, experiences or occurrences and then allows you to determine the best path to take.

The benefits of having a mentor are plenty but the most significant is that as a business owner or leader, it is often difficult to have someone to turn to for advice or direction.  I know speaking for me, there is no one above me that I could go for advice or guidance.  A business mentor becomes your board of directors.  I am also a big proponent of learning from others’ mistakes.   A good mentor does not have to have industry experience; he only needs to share with you lessons from his experiences in hopes that you can learn a bit more quickly and easily.  Just recently, George shared with me some stories about implementing Lean principals in his business.  His stories opened my eyes to a whole litany of ideas for Part-Time Pros.  Lastly, having a mentor allows you to expand your social network.  Following my last mentor lunch, George made introductions to two business owners who I can talk to about various business service ideas.

Your mentor should have no ulterior motive.  He should care about you and also have the experience to share stories.  As the relationship develops over time, that trust can grow even stronger.  Also, your time with your mentor becomes more efficient as he becomes more and more familiar with you and your business.  So, this month, I wanted to share this with you all and encourage you to find a mentor or advisor.  Is there someone out there that you admire or respect?  If so, why not ask him.  How flattering would that be to be the recipient of a call asking for your guidance?  Whether it is for professional growth or personal growth, I think human nature makes people want to help others and open ourselves up to sharing things that might benefit one another.

In closing, I would like to thank George (I am going to copy him on this newsletter). Each time I have been overwhelmed with what I have learned.  George holds me accountable for the items I am responsible for and gets me to think of things that I may not have thought of before.  I am truly grateful to the things I have learned from him thus far and am excited about what I will continue to learn from him.  I only hope that I can one day re- pay him in some way shape or form and express my gratitude.

All my best,
Carey