Good advice

Jan 28 2008 by Iain Laing, The Journal

PAUSE for a moment and think about your business. Maybe things are going along nicely; the orders are coming in, customers are satisfied and the staff must be OK as they aren’t complaining. You are doing a great job – well done, you!

You are in a strong position, so maybe it’s time to consider raising the bar, upping your game, getting ahead of the rest. It is very easy to do what you have always done, especially if it’s working. To be the best, however, may require a bit of support. Tiger Woods is a fantastic golfer, but he still has someone working with him to ensure his optimum performance. You may be a fantastic operator, but could you benefit from the wisdom of a mentor to drive you further forward?

True mentoring has amazing business and personal benefits. Not to be confused with an adviser or a counsellor, the right mentor will not tell you how things should be done but will inspire, share wisdom and reinforce your self-belief. There is a real benefit in connecting with someone who may have met similar challenges and who can save you time by sharing their story, perhaps stopping you from making the same mistake as they did. Another powerful benefit that emerges from the mentor/mentee relationship is access to the mentor’s personal networks, which can be invaluable – in businesses the ‘know who’ can be as important as the ‘know how’.

The trick is in finding the right mentor; chemistry is everything. You need to be very clear about expectations from both sides, avoiding any potential conflicts of interest.

A mentor should be prepared to share experience freely and voluntarily, and this relationship takes time to build.

You’ve got nothing to lose, you could grow your business and yourself and furthermore, you could gain a friend for life!

Carole White

Building Up Business manager Tedco.

If you require any further support or advice on mentoring, please call Tedco on (0191) 428-3300, email starting@tedco.org or visit us at www.tedco.org