Maxed Out - Need Mentor!
by Emma Payton
Finding & Using Mentors
Having mentors in our lives can make a significant difference in our quest to find our true potential, especially if our goals include self-employment. Mentors come to us in all kinds of ways – whether we ask for them or they happen by accident. Mentorship arrangements can be formal (written agreement, set meeting times and strict agendas) or informal (irregular meeting times, more casual environment). Here are some tips for finding your mentor(s).
Ask For What You Need
At one time I was employed as a Business Manager in an import/export company. The senior management team was working with a business coach who asked me what I needed to do my job better. Because our staff team was small and I felt I had maxed out the knowledge and skills I had access to, I said, “I need a mentor”. Working with our coach I successfully negotiated an informal mentorship arrangement with a prominent business owner in our community. We met for lunch monthly. We each set goals for the following year and held each other accountable for them. I was able to talk to my mentor about being stuck and he helped me to problem solve.
Some of the reasons this relationship worked were: my mentor was truly enthusiastic about my success, we both set goals (mutually beneficial relationship), and we genuinely liked each other as people.
Here are some steps you can take to look for a mentor:
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