4 Steps to Getting the Most of Mentoring and Coaching

Most of us have had informal mentors throughout our lives – parents, teachers, coaches, former bosses, and people that took a vested interest in you based on the potential you’ve shown.    But in business, it’s important to be intentional about seeking mentors who can help us polish our skills, become more focus and organized, navigate difficult situations, and ultimately achieve our goals.  Here some tips to help you get the most out of your mentoring or to help you choose a mentor if you don’t have one:

First, determine your goals, what you seek to learn or achieve from a mentor and traits you’d like in that person because synergy is very important.

Secondly, look for potential candidates starting with people that is close to you that are doing what you would like to achieve like family or friends and then from their move outward to people in your extended network still focusing on those people that are doing what you would like to achieve.  Ask other people for recommendations and don’t be shy about approaching people who are very successful.  Remember that most people find satisfaction in sharing wisdom, just be respectful of their time.

Next, when you’ve chosen your mentor or mentors, make sure you come to an agreement about your objectives or benchmarks you wish to achieve, how often you’ll meet, and what happens if the relationship doesn’t work and the confidentiality of your sessions.

 And Lastly, Be open. Ask for frank and honest feedback, you don’t want a mentor to tell you what you want to hear, but someone that will tell you what you NEED to hear.  It’s up to you to use it constructively.

Hope this helps you find someone to help you on your journey to achievement.  And if your worried about the investment, here's some interesting facts:

A recent study cited in the prestigious Public Personnel Management Journal found a typical management training program increased the manager’s productivity by 22%, but when combined with 8-weeks of intensive Coaching, the manager’s productivity exploded to more than 85%.

A landslide of 98.5% of coaching clients said their investment in a coach was well worth the money.

70% of clients said their investment in a coach was very valuable.
28.5% said their investment was valuable.

“Many of the world’s most admired corporations, from GE to Goldman Sachs, invest in coaching. Annual spending on coaching in the U.S. Is estimated at roughly $1 billion”.  – HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW, Nov. 2004

So invest in yourself, get the most out of your mentoring, and I look forward to connecting with you soon.

www.stretchyourself.org