The Vital Elements of a Healthy Mentoring Relationship

In today’s fast-paced business world, having a mentor can be the difference between success and failure. A mentor can provide invaluable advice and guidance that helps you stay on the path to success. But what are the three most vital elements of a healthy mentoring relationship? Let’s explore.

Who Are Your Mentors?

Your mentors should have qualifications in an area that can help your business succeed. They should have experience and knowledge that they can share with you so that you can make smarter decisions for your company. You may have multiple mentors—for example, one mentor who is great at marketing and another who is an expert in finance. It’s important to find mentors who specialize in areas related to your goals so that they can provide useful advice and insights.

In the early 80’s, I walked into James L. Winner’s office & told him that I was going to work for him. I was a raw, cocky college age kid full of enthusiasm but knew nothing on how to interview. All I knew is that I was enrolled in my 1st Dale Carnegie Course & I knew that I wanted to tell the whole world about its benefits. Mr. Winner was the Sponsor for the Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles & Beaumont, Texas (Golden Triangle) area Dale Carnegie Training Systems. I didn’t know that you don’t just walk in a TELL a President you’re going to work for him. He thought I was nuts. He was right. But I must’ve caught him on a good day & he decided to give me one assignment. Little did I know if I failed that one assignment, my future with his organization would be over before it started. WRITE THIS DOWN.
The #1 ingredient in a mentorship is that YOU MUST BE COACHABLE. 

His assignment was to go out and meet 100 business people & come back to him and report the results. (He later confided in me that he thought he’d never see me again.)

At the end of the following day, I showed up at his office with a yellow pad of 100 names and what they said & who wanted appointments.

He said I couldn’t go on any appointments because I didn’t know what to say.  I replied, “well, I guess we’re going together”. (At the time of this writing I estimate I have now conducted approximately 19,550 one-on-one appointments.
All because I completed the FIRST ASSIGNMENT.

Mentoring Defined

Mentoring simply defined is when someone more experienced or knowledgeable provides guidance to someone who needs help in their field or profession. This could be anything from career advice to learning how to handle difficult situations with clients or customers. Mentors don’t necessarily need to be older than you, but they do need to have more experience than you in whatever area you want help with. Having a mentor is like having an extra set of eyes on a project, which can provide valuable insights into potential pitfalls before they become problems.

4 Most Vital Elements of a Healthy Mentoring Relationship

1.  BE COACHABLE. As previously explained.
2.  Show Respect – Respect is essential for any mentoring relationship; both parties must respect each other if there is going to be any sort of positive outcome from the relationship. Without respect there won't be trust or open dialogue between the two individuals, which will lead to frustration and disappointment on both sides. It’s ok if you don’t always like your mentor. But you must always respect them.  One night, Jim called me at 2:45am, woke me up & asked me to recite my sales presentation. Yes, it was THAT kind of commitment.  (PS: Jim was a United States Marines Drill Sergeant in his early years.)
3. Open Communication – Communication is key when it comes to mentorship relationships; both parties must feel comfortable talking openly about their successes and failures without feeling judged or criticized by the other person. This allows for honest feedback which leads to growth and improvement over time. 
4.  Support – Finally, support is one of the most important elements of any successful mentorship relationship; mentors should provide encouragement, motivation, and reassurance throughout the process so that their mentee feels supported every step of the way. This will help build trust between them and ensure that both parties are working towards achieving mutual goals together.

Conclusion:
 
A healthy mentoring relationship encompasses all four of these vital elements— coachability, respect, open communication, and support—and without them it cannot reach its full potential as a powerful tool for personal growth and development within any given industry or profession. Finding quality mentors who possess these traits isn’t always easy but it's worth pursuing because having someone knowledgeable by your side during tough times or major decisions can make all the difference in reaching your desired outcome as a small business owner or sales manager! Take some time today to invest in finding great mentors who reflect these ideals!

Peace, love & gumbo!
Marvin LeBlanc, LUTCF, CNP
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#mentor #respect #committment #communication #salesTraining #salesCoaching #accountability #speaker

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