The Importance of Mentoring

Recently, I was asked to speak to a group of business leaders who volunteer their time mentoring small business owners.

Mentors have two sets of challenges. The first set revolves around their clients. Many small businesses are undercapitalized and don’t have the money to implement the sales and marketing initiatives suggested by the mentor. Some entrepreneurs don’t follow through on the advice they’re given and always find themselves in hot water, where they need even more help. Then, there are generational issues. A mentor in their sixties thinks very differently than an entrepreneur in their twenties. The inability to bridge this generational divide leads to communication breakdowns and a difficult time finding mentoring success.

The other set of challenges mentors face is with themselves. They volunteer because they want to make a real difference. They love to pass on their knowledge, serve the community, interact with a broad range of people, and learn about new businesses and their products and services. They love that feeling of watching an entrepreneur get their first round of financing or land that huge sale. However, their motivation to keep giving their time and energy can dissipate when they think about the problems and frustrations they face trying to help their clients.

You may face the same thing in your company. Your job is to provide products and/or services to your clients on time and with quality. Yet, your job is also complicated and most likely fraught with procedure, bureaucratic and logical challenges that can make your head spin. Through all of this, you’re expected to mentor one another so your company can achieve its maximum potential.

So how do you measure success?

Here are some suggestions I offered the mentors that may be of use to you.

Shift your focus from a destination to the journey. There’s no finish line here. We will never be “done” with all of our work. Rather, we’re engaged in a continual process of improvement, applying all that we learn about our industry and our jobs to make ourselves more efficient and effective. Focus on the progress each of you have made and how far along your journey you’ve progressed.

To stay inspired, keep accepting the challenges. Our work is like life in general: Just when you get comfortable and you think you’ve got it all under control, a whole new set of problems comes your way. Sure, it may push you back on your heels—but only for a while. Then, you’ll do what you always do: Figure out it, learn and keep moving forward. Take a moment to focus on the vast body of knowledge that you’ve mastered over the long landscape of your life. You learned half of that by solving problems and embracing challenges. Let that inspire you.

See the big picture. It’s easy to let the details swallow you up. Every once in a while, step back and think about the vital role you play in the daily life of your company. You solve problems. You overcome obstacles. You make things happen. Then, think about the warm, friendly and awesome people you work with every day. Seeing your job in the context of a bigger picture can give you an entirely new perspective.

With this in mind, mentoring your team and colleagues takes on a whole new meaning—one that can have a very positive and beneficial effect on your entire organization.