Every Entrepreneur Needs a Mentor!

Have you ever thought about having a mentor?

You should…mentoring has been a part of the workplace for as long as there has been a workplace.  In today’s complex business world, mentoring may be more important than ever, and perhaps unlike our preceding generations, today’s leaders are more open to learning and developing themselves.

Research shows it’s a very effective way for people to develop new skills, lead diverse companies and understand how to deal with people and problems. A good mentoring relationship benefits the mentor, the mentee and the overall organization.

Mentors are not just for young people…mentors provide a different perspective; they are people with experience.  Ideally, they might have experience in your industry. If not, they would have the knowledge of how to run a business.

Here’s what I would expect from my mentor:

• They have ‘been there done that’ and know how to grow a great business
• They know the right thing to do at the right time (and in the right order)
• They are caring and supportive but challenge and push me when necessary!
• That they truly understand what I go through and what I want to achieve

There are several different types of mentors and I believe all business leaders are missing out if they don’t use at least one of them.

• The first kind is the traditional business mentor: This is someone who has usually held very senior management positions, often in large corporations. They are great for their strategic overview, their wealth of experience, and their ability to give you confidence that you’re heading in the right direction.
• The second kind is the specialist mentor: This is a trained, sometimes certified, mentoring professional. These mentors focus on giving advice and sharing their knowledge of their specialist subject.
• The third kind is the peer mentor: This is someone who is at a similar stage in the business. They should be someone whose business skills and abilities you feel you can learn from, but they’re probably dealing with similar issues to you. This means that you can work together to figure out the best way to move forward with your mutual issues and then compare results.

All are extremely valuable!

No matter where you are in your career…even if you are a seasoned entrepreneur, you can benefit from having one or more mentors.  And no matter what you call them, a mentor, advisor, business coach, business partner, everybody needs one!

I hope that if nothing else, you now know not only why you need a mentor but that you will have a good idea of what you want your mentor to do for you and your business as well.

Ask questions and find the one that will help you achieve your business goals!

Who is your mentor today?

Dave Baney is the founder and CEO of 55 Questions, LLC and author of “The 3×5 Coach: A Practical Guide to Coaching Your Team for Greater Results and Happier People”, which is now available in Paperback or a Kindle version at https://tinyurl.com/y8ecykfy

At 55 Questions, we work with successful top executives with a driving ambition to crush their competition.  We help CEOs and Entrepreneurs improve alignment, communication and accountability throughout their organization. www.55Questions.com

Follow Dave on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebaney55questions/