Daniel Priestley , co-founder and
CEO , Dent Global
and progress her career . “ Once I ’ d overcome that obstacle , the opportunities were endless . It was important to have someone that I knew supported me and wasn ’ t charging a large amount of money to do it . They did it because they wanted to see me succeed .”
The more you get to know your mentor , the more you respect them , says Priestley . “ If , however , the more you get to know your mentor , the more you realise they aren ’ t who you thought they were , it can be a red flag . If a mentor ever encourages you to do something unethical or immoral or something that could harm your reputation , it ’ s time to politely exit the relationship .”
Think about why you want to have a mentor first , says Sumray-Roots . “ What areas do you need support in and what can someone do to help you succeed and overcome obstacles . A mentor should be a partner in your success and listen to your needs . If your mentor can open doors for you that ’ s great , but they should be helping you to open those doors yourself .”
Genuine mentor relationships are hard to find , but a mentor is not the only option for getting ahead . “ A coach could be a viable alternative if they are affordable ,” comments Priestley . “ Joining an accelerator programme or group-coaching programme can be powerful because it combines learning as well as a network of likeminded people .”
It ’ s also possible that someone would gain huge value in being a mentor to another person ; there are charities that seek mentors for young people in their care and there are mentoring programmes to support new employees in companies . “ Some of your best breakthroughs can happen when you are supporting someone else ,” concludes Priestley . CN
Priestley ’ s guide to selecting a mentor
1 . Respect their results in life . Respect needs to be more than just admiration for a skill they have ; it needs to be an appreciation of their character and life experiences .
2 . Trust them enough that you will act on their advice . Mentors typically want to see that their wisdom is valued , and the way they gauge it is to watch what you do .
3 . Find ways to add value to them or avoid being a drain on their time . I ’ ve crossed town to meet them at their local coffee shop and I have insisted on paying for a parking ticket they got because our conversation ran overtime . www . conference-news . co . uk