As a coach, you know the value of coaching and mentorship, and we highly recommend you find a mentor or two. There may be times when you need temporary advice through an immediate challenge. In other cases, you may just need quarterly or annual help. There may be other mentors you will meet with regularly, for long-term support. You will likely have many mentors in your business. Here are a few suggestions to help you find a mentor that is perfect for you and your coaching practice.
Find a mentor willing to build a relationship with you around your business.
What is Mentorship?
Simply, mentorship is guidance. Mentors are experts who are willing to build a relationship with you and offer good advice as you move forward in your coaching business. They can provide new perspectives and professional knowledge.
Aligned Values
Find a mentor who has similar values, whose character traits you appreciate. Perfect alignment is not necessary because contrasts are good to give you another view. Large differences in personal philosophy can cause you to move in directions that are not a good fit.
Goal Direction
If you are working towards specific goals in your coaching practice (and you should be!), find a mentor who has already achieved them. They can share the steps they took to get there and give you a roadmap. They may even be able to help you avoid certain mistakes, which is worth gold!
Create Time
As you look for a mentor, make sure you understand the time you are asking them to invest in you. How much time do you need? The mentor you are considering will want to have expectations about what is required from them. Getting their time commitment upfront will set a good boundary for both of you.
Get Challenged
While alignment and compatibility are important, it is also critical that your mentor have the ability to challenge you in ways that will help you grow. You should leave a mentoring session with more clarity and with a few challenges to work through. Challenges are good for your business growth.
Find a mentor who is an expert in your field.
Wisdom
There is no shame in asking for help and in fact, there is great wisdom in leaning on others. Once found, a mentor can become one of your greatest assets. Not only do they offer encouragement and solutions, they keep you on track and moving in the right direction.
Helpful Advocate
The most important part of the exercise in finding a mentor is to ASK! The truth is, most people want to help and want you to be successful. They can become helpful advocates for you and your coaching practice, so be sure to following this important last step!
Check out The Coach Business Guide: The Path to Launch and Grow your Coaching, Practice, Chapter 1 – Getting Started
