In our guest blogging series, life-coach, business owner, and director of content agency Mentored Media, Matt Purcell shares his insights as to why mentorship is important on an individual level and in businesses, no matter if you are leading a fledgling business or multi-national enterprise.
With your best interest in mind
"I've got your back" is a war phrase.
As a phrase, it emphasises how vulnerable we are. We cannot see our own face without a reflection; we definitely cannot see a good 50 per cent of our body. So, if I have someone who I trust behind me who has my best interest in mind, I'm stronger, safer and more secure than I was without them. We need someone that "has our back".
Mentorship
Oxford’s definition of a "mentor” is "An experienced and trusted adviser”. So, for me, I consider experience plus trust to be the credentials for mentorship.
The title "mentor" I think is a newer phrase that many self-appoint themselves with. Although it has become a profession, it's important to ask the question how can mentorship be useful in my life and in my business?
Looking back, I was very fortunate. I was adopted from Korea when I was a baby by my Australian parents and when they separated when I was six, I craved community and a place to belong.
I observed that older and more experienced people than me generally carried themselves in a way that I admired - they were smarter and wiser. I wanted to learn how to be like that. Quickly, I realised no one is looking to "mentor" me, so I had to conjure up the confidence to place myself around these types of people.
My parents placed me in community groups, sports clubs and I learned that the best way to learn faster and get better opportunities was by being around where the action was.
In business and in life, we begin knowing very little about anything. We are dependants. There is so much that is not in our control.
That’s why mentorship is such a valuable relationship. They are the door to opportunity, the voice of reason, our eyes and our ears and often - the kick up the ass we need to change.
Practical Mentorship
The most impacting and practical example of mentorship in business for me has been with Mark Bouris. His methodology of mentorship is very similar to what Socrates did many years ago which is to ask questions. A good teacher never just gives you the answers, they dig into your thinking, ask you to state your case and most importantly they are always looking to protect you - What are the risks? What is the plan? What is the purpose?
Mark is the ultimate questioner and combined with experience and trust, is able to help find what you need to do without ever saying that you need to do it. Mentorship requires trust on both sides.
Why We All Need Mentors
Mentorship exposes you to many years of experience that you otherwise may never have. A person with five people around them with 20 years’ experience each is equivalent to having 100 years of experience in your corner.
For me, that’s what mentorship is all about. Being asked questions by experienced and trusted people who "have your back."
If you enjoyed this blog post, why not check out our post on ‘Why you should ask about a newsroom schedule?’
Check out Matt’s website here.
Tags: Mentor, Mentorship, Media
