Who’s Feeding You?
Seriously...
When this question was posed to “David” (not his real name), I could see pure panic in his eyes. (Full disclosure: We were sitting in Joe Buzzello’s hot tub and I must admit there was beer involved.) At first, David hemmed and hawed a little before saying he really didn’t have anyone who was feeding him and helping him grow. Even though David is a very successful executive that has reached a high-level position, he is stuck in a rut. He admitted that his business wasn’t growing at near the rate he had expected. Worse yet, he didn’t really have anyone to ask how to fix it.
I’ve been there. I understand how alone David feels in his journey. A few years ago I had outgrown my leader. I’m not casting any aspersions on him. He really is a good guy, but his leadership skills weren’t helping me. In fact, I felt he was holding me back. I also felt trapped. It seemed that my only two choices were live with it or leave the organization. Neither choice seemed tenable. After several weeks of sleepless nights, I stumbled upon a third choice. I found a mentor outside of my organization that was willing to work with me. This relationship literally changed my life.
Maybe you can relate to David’s plight. Perhaps right now you feel as stuck as I did then. If that’s you, I have good news! You can find ways to continue to grow. There are all sorts of resources that you have access to. Some are inexpensive or free. Others will require a substantial investment. But if you are really serious about quickly taking your business to the next level, finding the right mentor is critical.
Joe and I suggested that for David to reach his full potential he must find a mentor immediately, even if that meant having to pay for it out of his own pocket. When David asked us what to look for in a mentor, Joe and I gave him the following seven things.
Seven Things To Look For In A Mentor
- Someone outside your organization- If your mentor has a vested interest in your success (perhaps in the way of override), you will always be skeptical if their advice is designed to benefit them or you.
- Someone who has had massive success in the exact area you are struggling in- It doesn’t do you much good to get sales advice from someone who hasn’t ever been in sales.
- Someone who can challenge you- Oftentimes we are within millimeters of a breakthrough but we won’t ever get there unless someone nudges us across the line.
- Someone who is busy- It is amazing to me how successful people seem to get more done by 9:00 am Monday than some people do all week. If they are someone who you believe can help you, it may take several approaches before you get them to agree.
- Someone who will schedule and commit to a series of meetings or phone calls. To get the most out of your relationship, it must have some structure and regularity. Don’t worry about them standing you up or having to constantly reschedule. I have found that the busiest, most successful people are also the most likely to be reliable and on time…. weird…(tweet that)
- Someone with connections- No matter how brilliant your mentor is, they won’t have ALL the answers. The good news is they usually know the people who do have those answers and will happily make the introduction.
- Someone who asks good questions- I love the proverb that says, “You can tell how clever a man is by his answers. You can tell how wise he is by his questions”. You want to make sure that before they start spouting advice that they know your situation.
