Many entrepreneurs do business so as not to have a boss watching over their actions. Why then would anyone want to bother with a mentor who will do, roughly speaking, exactly that?
If you feel like this, you probably misunderstand what it means to have a mentor. It’s not having a therapist, it’s not asking for the services of a coach, it’s being able to count on someone who treats us with respect and with whom we want to develop a relationship based on listening. and trust. The benefits of having one have been proven time and time again.
1. Get hands-on experience
Even though books, blogs and videos are an incredible source of information for entrepreneurs, there are things that can only be learned through experience. It is one of the keys to success in business. The advantage of a mentor is that he has it and his goal is to help you benefit from it.
Interpersonal relationships also allow you to understand certain concepts that are poorly transmitted theoretically. For example, his leadership and emotional intelligence might inspire you. In 2013, a US survey of senior executives of large companies revealed that 80% of them had had a mentor at some point in their career.
2. Gain confidence
In business, you constantly have to find solutions and, sometimes, decisions are very difficult to make. A mentor is there to make you think about your business, to see it from another angle. This outside look will allow you to notice details that you have missed. At other times, it will put you in front of the evidence that you must opt for a heartbreaking choice, but necessary for the good of your business. The “tough love” of a mentor can help you face the facts and face them.
According to a survey conducted by the organization SCORE, also in the United States, 30% of small business owners who had a single interaction with their mentor had seen their business grow. This figure rose to 43% for entrepreneurs who had seen their mentor more than five times during the year.
3. You will have someone to talk to
Often entrepreneurs suffer from loneliness. By wanting to avoid bringing your problems from the office home, by not sharing certain pitfalls that the company will have to face with your employees for fear of undermining their morale, you may feel like you have no one to turn to.
Having a mentor breaks that isolation and allows you to vent without being judged. In addition, he will be able to encourage you, highlight your good moves, play down the mistakes that deserve to be. In many cases, this can reduce your stress and improve your well-being.
Find the right mentor
Just have to find the right one! It is wrong to think that someone who has worked in your field for a long time will necessarily be the right one for you. Yes, the mentor is there to share their experience with you, but you also want to find someone who has values similar to yours, with whom chemistry passes.
Other qualities are essential to a good mentor. Find someone who really listens and is open-minded. No need to argue with someone who never likes your ideas; rather, you want someone who values them while being able to criticize them in a harsh, yet constructive and intelligent way.
Also, make sure your mentor has time for you. You can’t expect this person to be free all the time, but you still want to be able to establish a relationship of trust. This requires availability on both sides.
Not easy to find the rare pearl? It’s true and that’s why certain organizations exist to help you find it. This is the case, for example, of the Mentoring Network, a partner of alias entrepreneur, which has a network of mentors throughout the province to guide you in this process.
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