I truly believe that mentorship is the one real shortcut to better results in life and business—if you find the one who will step into your world and understands what you want to achieve and you are ready to invest in a mentor.
What it means to invest in a mentor.
When you are thinking about investing in a mentor, it’s first important understand the mentor vs coach difference.
An engagement with a life coach or business coach typically involves:
- Developing a specific skill
- An accountability partnership
- Achieving co-created goals
- Assistance helping you find the answers
Investing in a mentor on the other hand, has a different focus. It is:
- More relationship driven because of its longevity (often a year or more)
- About addressing and supporting the mentee’s evolving needs
- Having access to someone who’s been there and done that to use as a sounding board
- A mentor sharing from their personal experiences and connections to help make your path smoother
- Driven by your long-term career, business or personal development
This is why investing in a mentor is really an investment in yourself, your growth and your future, rather than an expense.
It’s always important to remember that you are your greatest asset and every dollar you invest in your development, personally and professionally, will pay you back over and over again throughout your life.
What’s most important in the mentor-mentee relationship?
When working with a personal success mentor or in a business mentoring program, the mentor-mentee relationship is of the utmost importance. The more aligned you are with your mentor, the better the engagement will be. This is why I encourage you to learn about any mentor you’re thinking about working with and make sure they are the right mentor for you.
The mentor you choose should be someone you trust and respect and has:
- A proven system
- Achieved the results you want
- Helped others do it too
- Testimonials and feedback from happy clients
When you have all of that you will be much more likely to work well together and succeed in the relationship.
How do you know when you need a mentor?
There are signs that show up when you are ready for mentorship. While each person is different and has different reasons for seeking mentorship, typically you will feel stuck in some way.
It might be that you:
- Have hit a ceiling in your personal life or business you cannot break through alone
- Are spending more time spinning than moving forward
- Know what you want but can’t see the path to get there
- Have a major life change or challenge and you aren’t sure where to go from here
A great mentor will help you accelerate your growth and shorten your learning curve because they have ‘been there and done that’ and can provide the support, perspective and opportunities you need to see your way through.
What to look for in the right mentor.
As we explored above, a great mentor for you will be someone who has already done what you want to achieve. You also want to ensure that your mentor is someone who has a:
- Deep level of integrity
- Passion for sharing knowledge
- Willingness to listen
- Healthy network of contacts they will leverage on your behalf
You can advance yourself and your vision much faster with a mentor who is willing to share their wisdom and introduce you to other people they know who are also willing to help you achieve your goals, just as you might be able to do for them.
We aren’t meant to do life or business alone and a mentor who will use their power of association to help you build yours is a priceless resource.
When selecting a mentor, you will also want to consider:
- Their values
- Their area of expertise
- The level of trust and respect between you from the beginning
- Whether you can communicate openly and honestly together
- Their openness to other perspectives and willingness to understand yours
- Their level of perseverance when faced with obstacles
Be aware of how you feel in your first meeting with a prospective mentor.
- Are you comfortable?
- Do they let you express your ideas?
- Do they ask about your specific goals and what you want to achieve from mentorship?
- How connected do you feel to them?
- Will they tell you the truth and not just what you want to hear?
While a mentor will cheer you on and support your decisions, they must also be willing to challenge you to make sure you are making the best decisions you can in each situation you navigate.
A great mentor will not tell you what to do, but they will help you see more options and possibilities, so you can make the best choice.
What mentorship looks like with Sharon Lechter.
Mentorship gives you access to lived-wisdom that will help you navigate your journey—in your way.
I have personally benefitted greatly from my mentors over the years and I know that I am where I am because of their mentorship.
I love being able to do the same thing for others, helping them build their legacies, by sharing the things I have learned from my mentors and through my personal experience.
Because I recognize that not everyone is ready to invest in a year-long one-to-one mentoring program, I offer a variety of options to get to know me and my work.
You can:
- Access the blogs and podcasts on my website for free
- Purchase a book or course on a specific area of interest
- Join me at a speaking event or conference
- Attend a retreat (our ranch at Cherry Creek Lodge is an incredible experience!)
- Engage in one-to-one mentoring
How to get the most out of a mentoring relationship.
Mentorship will accelerate success when you come prepared. Whether you are investing in a personal success mentor or a business mentoring program, it’s not enough just to be in the room.
That means you need to:
- Have a good understanding of how you want to make progress in your life and/or business
- Outline a five-year plan and your ultimate goals
- Know what you will or will not do to achieve your goals
- Understand where you have gaps in your skills
- Explore where your business is lacking and/or where you personally and professionally need support
- Identify your areas of strengths and weakness
To get the most from the relationship you need to be coachable, have a growth mindset, be open to a different perspective and willing to set clear goals and track your progress, so you know that the relationship is working.
If you treat every interaction with your mentor as an investment that has a return you will be able to fully leverage your business mentoring program or the things you learn from your personal success mentor.
Who you surround yourself with directly impacts your success. If you think you are ready to work with a Master Mentor who has a legacy of helping others build their legacy, I would be delighted to talk with you about my Mentorship Programs.
I have over 4 decades of experience in leveraging strategic relationships and can support you to elevate your thinking, grow your business and maximize your impact all while living your legacy.