The First 3 Things You Need From a GREAT Mentor or Coach (part 1)

Do you have a mentor? Let me rephrase that…Do you have a GREAT mentor? The mentor-mentee relationship can provide you with so many great benefits, if you find the right person, and are dedicated to getting the most out of the opportunity.  

But there lies the challenge. What should you look for in a mentor to make sure you’re getting the value you need from the relationship? 

Who can be a mentor? 

In a traditional sense, many mentors are actually volunteers. They are just supporting you and helping you and are NOT there to give away all their ideas and knowledge.  

A mentor is there to help and guide you through whatever you're going through. 

Your mentor could be a networking colleague, someone from a mastermind group, or even a cool aunt, a neighbour, or other person in your life who is doing really well in life or business.  

There are also opportunities for paid mentorship where you pay to connect with someone. These people may call themselves consultants, coaches, or can be someone referred from a mentoring agency or organization.  

So a “mentor” can come in the form of a colleague, coach, consultant, or advisor, as long as you define the relationship.  

Here are the first three of five things you should be doing or considering in any mentorship arrangement:   

1. Getting Inspired

Look for a mentor who can inspire you. We’re often siloed in our business or life. In our own little box, our own tiny fish bowl, under our own glass ceiling with own limiting beliefs and boundaries. 

You should be inspired every time you talk to your mentor. When you’re inspired, you're often more motivated to go for the things you want. When you're inspired, you can get more done. You get into action faster and then to stay dedicated to that action.  

Being inspired by a mentor, helps you get into resonance and resonance is energy flow.  

On the flip side, your mentor should also be inspired by you! You may think, “Well, what could I teach them?” It's not about teaching. It's about showing up with positive energy, Gusto, with a can-do attitude and then actually doing the stuff and implementing it. 

Your mentor can be inspired by your hustle or your positivity. Think about how you can inspire them. Just ask yourself, “How can I get inspired by them and how can I inspire them as well?”  

Also look to be inspired, and learn, from their strategies! Great mentors share great strategies, helping you to strategize about whatever it is you’re struggling with or wanting to accomplish.  

Mentors should be ahead of you in some way. Even if they are in a different industry, their experience can help you figure out a plan. To get the most value from your relationship, make sure you come prepared to every meeting…which is #2 below: 

2. Creating Agendas 

Come prepared to every mentor meeting with an agenda that includes the things that you are wanting to learn or get mentoring on.  

Give your mentor your agenda in advance so that they can pre-think on the topics that you want to talk about. I do this with my clients. They send me a prep form before each session with everything they want to work on together. Then I know where they want to go, so I can help provide clarity and insight on exactly what they need.  

In your agenda, be clear about the type of support you want and then use that word, ask them specifically, “Can you help me brainstorm ideas/give me feedback/choose the best option/see if I’m missing anything?” 

Ask to strategize together. Strategize is another word for brainstorming. When you're open to talking through different strategies, you might find the one that works for you. 

3. Being Open to Different Points of View  

Everyone has their own unique set of experiences and knowledge, which leads to a unique point of view. We’re often in that fishbowl and don’t stop to consider, or even know, there are other ways to look at a situation because we are so consumed by the moment and our personal experience. This is often referred to as having limiting beliefs.  

Being open to different points of view can create a perspective shift, which can help you break past barriers or obstacles. A new perspective you may never have thought of on your own, but one that comes from your mentor and their view of the world can be HUGE for you! 

It could help you to make a quicker decision on something, help motivate you, or help you make more money.  

Make sure you choose a mentor whose values are in alignment with yours. This way, when they share their perspectives with you, they are more likely to be in align with your values too.  


Next week I’ll share the last 2 things you should be asking of your mentor.