Be an Effective Mentor
by Barnett Helzberg
The value of mentoring can be incalculable.
I witnessed this from a very young age when my dad would repeatedly dine with certain very wise men that he respected. I later found that being mentored was extremely valuable for me. It also created some wonderful friendships.
One day, as I thanked one of my most treasured mentors, Ewing Kauffman, he replied, “That’s OK; you’ll help someone someday.”
That was a good part of the inspiration for the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring program (HEMP) which started in 1995. Through these years we have learned a great deal about the do’s and don’ts of mentoring.
First and foremost there needs to be good chemistry between the mentee and mentor. This does not always show up instantly but must ultimately exist.
Second, both parties need to be willing to “Put their worst foot forward”. If you are unable to share your most severe concerns and problems, you will not gain the maximum value from your mentor. Mentors need to show their vulnerabilities and share their mistakes, as well as their successes.
Third, an absolute code of confidentiality needs to exist between mentee and mentor.
Fourth, your mentor should not be anyone who has a conflict of interest such as your banker, lawyer, accountant or brother-in-law. It needs to be someone who can be candid, frank, and critical and has absolutely no axe to grind.
In a best-case scenario, mentoring includes networking with peers who share similar concerns.
Sixteen years of observing the mentoring process has proven that the combination of networking (peer mentoring) and your individual mentor can be extremely powerful forces to help you grow yourself and your business. 