Business Mentors - Finding the Right Fit
Leadership March 22nd. 2009, 4:58amIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
I recently had an ‘Aha!’ I want to share to help you create the purpose-led business you’re looking for.
Find someone experiencing the success you want and follow them.
I know that sounds pretty obvious but for a long time I missed the most important ingredient of the formula. That is, to get clear on what success meant to me on a deep, personal level before I ever choose a guide. Let me show you how my experience with a recent painting class is a good example of that.
I have taken watercolour courses in the past and had a measure of success but I’d never been completely satisfied with the results. Because of that I never followed up my learning with practice. What was the point if I didn’t like what I produced? I’d make a great start but my paints and brushes were soon gathering dust on a shelf again.
Ever have that happen with a new business idea or practice? You’re all gung-ho and you jump right in. Then somewhere along the line reality doesn’t quite match up with what you had in mind. You could muscle your way through, even meet with a certain measure of success but you still sense something is out of kilter.
It wasn’t until I “found” Karen Richardson on a local studio tour that I realised what I’d overlooked in the past. Karen’s work reflects the level of detail I love but isn’t so ‘un-painterly’ that it appears to be a photo - exactly the way I wanted my own work to look.
Up to that point, I hadn’t paid much attention to the style of my previous teachers. They hadn’t reflected my vision of what I wanted in a successful painting. I could emulate my teacher’s composition but I didn’t learn the skills I needed to continue on my own because I wasn’t headed in the right direction. I learned from them, yes, but not everything I needed to produce something that felt right to me.
Ask yourself “What are the results I want?” Always start with the end in mind.
Because Karen’s more advanced vision parallels what I long to produce myself, I’m finally headed in the right direction. I’m not looking to produce exact copies of her work but rather to build on what she teaches me. By starting from mutually held values - a love of detail and colour - I’m gaining the confidence and skills I need to work on my own and still produce the results I want.
The same holds true in business and life. Before you choose a mentor to follow, take a good look first at your own values and vision. What do you really want? Define this as clearly as you can but don’t get discouraged if it feels a little vague at first. Even knowing what you don’t want is a positive step.
Begin where you are and don’t be afraid to refine your answers as you discover what works and what doesn’t. When you’ve got some idea of what you want, look at the possible mentors in your field. Ask others for recommendations. And be sure to look outside of your field. Remember - I’m learning about business from painting.
As you consider your choice for a mentor, are they succeeding in a way that reflects your vision?
If they are, then they have something to share that will be of value to you. You aren’t looking to become them, simply to learn from them. It’s HOW they are working and producing that interests you. Can they help you build a practical foundation of skills that will take you where you want to go?
Finally, ask yourself if this person is far enough ahead of you on the road to be a real mentor? Karen Richardson is an accomplished artist and she makes me stretch. Her skill is an ideal to aim for while creating my personal style.
Someone operating at your own level is a peer. Although they may be fun as a travelling companion what you’re looking for is experience. A peer probably won’t know the potholes and shortcuts any more than you do.
If you intend to build a business that reflects your unique passion, purpose and values, find the mentor who is right for you - one who understands what you want to achieve because she shares a similar vision.
Aprille Janes is a coach and business mentor who believes that you need a life plan before you ever create a business plan. Connect to your passion, purpose and values and everything else flows naturally from there. Download “Passion, Purpose and Values”, her free e-book at http://www.aprillejanes.com/ldg_ppv.htm
