What if I told you that the key to success for you or your business is available to you right now? This simple concept has been called the “golden nugget” to people’s success. And yet it is widely never spoken about.
Yes, we are talking about having a coach or mentor.
At the most successful levels it’s not talent. Coaching and mentoring are what makes the difference. Companies like Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google all hired a coach or mentor to help their teams work smarter, faster, and better.
Coaching and mentoring isn’t just important in sports, it’s the missing attribute that makes a big difference in you and your business. If you look up the words teach and coach in the dictionary, they share the same definition: “to provide instruction”. You might have the best idea, but you can’t see the bigger picture or how to start manifesting it into reality. Having a coach or mentor can help you figure out what will work best for your career or what steps to take.
Let’s discuss why you must have a coach or mentor to succeed and, more importantly, exactly how and where you can find them.
There is a slight difference between a coach and mentor.
What is a Coach?
Coaches are qualified to bring out the response from within you. They don’t give advice or mentorship or learnings from their own experiences, but they ask the right questions to bring you to your own conclusions. The benefit of a coach is they help with your self-confidence, gives you a clearer understanding of yourself, helps you identify strengths/weaknesses and supports you in your decisions.
What is a Mentor?
A mentor will be someone who has experience. The relationship between a mentor and a mentee is a partnership, they can be your go to through challenges and wins, and they may draw upon their personal experiences to guide you, so there is a high level of trust. A mentor is your motivator and should empower you and guide you through all topics of life.
What are the qualities that you should be looking for in a coach or mentor?
Firstly, a Coach or mentor is a ‘product of the product’. They too have been coached or mentored by someone who in turn has been coached and mentored. The best way to ensure that you are getting the best, is ask them if they have ever used a coach or mentor before. The reason for this is no one should think that they are an expert of something unless they have experienced it themselves. It’s the very definition of success in business, that if you are to coach or mentor, then you too should have been coached or mentored and possibly still are.
Look for these attributes when sourcing or when speaking with a coach or mentor:
1. Similar knowledge and expertise :
This may seem like an obvious one, but your coach or mentor should often or always have some relevant background or knowledge that you too want to know. Maybe they own a company that you want to own or maybe they are earning what you want to earn. You need to find someone that has the “big picture” that you are looking for and the lifestyle that you want to achieve.
One thing to note, the person needs to be ahead of you in either age or career, or if you have a similar interest, they need to have at least more experience than you. This person shouldn’t be more than five or 10 years older than you, as someone who’s in their 20’s or 30’s can’t relate or bond with someone who is in their 50s, and also because the world of business is changing very fast, you are more likely to get results from the someone who has shared timeline experience.
2. Shares everything
The best mentors are the ones that are willing to share everything with you. You don’t want someone who holds back, is vague, doesn’t reveal things unless you purchase more etc. They need to be open and transparent, and you feel like they genuinely want to help you. Even sharing chat rooms, or templates or something that they created themselves, this is all part of what a coach or mentor should do.
3. Loves to hear your wins
Everyone loves sharing good news, and your coach or mentor should be the one that also loves hearing your wins.
You don’t want someone who always helps with the bad or talks about the bad, but also acknowledges all the good. Your experience with a coach or mentor always needs to be positive, as you want to leave the 1 hour feeling energized, then deflated.
4. Gives you honest and direct feedback
Finding the right fit and someone who is respectable to your needs is key, but so is finding someone who will give you the ‘kick up the butt’ you need.
A good coach or mentor is not someone who always delivers you rainbows, they know how to deliver the constructive criticism that you need. However it might be direct, but also kind and respectful.
5. Actively listens and asks the right questions
Your coach or mentor should be asking a lot of questions, then simply telling you what to do. This shows that they are curious about your success and how to tailor something that is more for you then the majority. You want them to pay attention to what you are saying and withhold judgment. A good coach or mentor will approach strategies based on your personality or style, then impose their own beliefs or use the same strategy for all.
Conclusion
All high-ranking-players and game-changers have coaches and mentors they can turn to when faced with doubt and difficulty.
Essentially, you know now why a coach or mentor is needed and a way of finding the right one for you. What you need to do now is decide what goals you want to achieve and get started.
If you are looking for a coach or mentor, speak to Chrissy Symeonakis about her coaching and mentoring packages perfectly tailored to your goals and wants. Book a free 15 minute call with her now and let’s chat.
Over to you!