Mentoring in business is not cheap, at least not when it is done properly. But as with anything else the only measure through which its worth can ultimately be judged is in the outcomes that it creates. Many of us need help and guidance, calling as we do upon our friends and members of our family, but requests for help that are responded to reluctantly or with obvious irritation are not sustainable in the long term. What we could really use is opinion and active assistance which is both rooted in experience and expertise, and given happily.

A good mentor will have a track record of success in their field which they can point to, with verifiable reviews and testimonies. Competence is always the first requirement. The second is desire, and you will only really be able to gauge that by communicating with them and seeing for yourself what it is they have to offer.

The Experts Largely Agree on the Benefits of Engaging a Business Mentor

For any who take the cynical view that a mentor’s role is merely to share in the proceeds of their client’s success, it is perhaps worth considering that trusted authorities such as Forbes have shown little hesitation in making the case for them. Significantly, Forbes takes pains to point out that “they aren’t there for a weekly appointment to sort out your personal issues. They are there to support you as a fellow entrepreneur”. Understanding the parameters by which a mentor works is very important – they are a valuable assistant, not a crutch. Inc., similarly, stresses their importance to new entrepreneurs trying to make their way in business.

A good mentor will quickly take control as this website firmly demonstrates. That doesn’t mean you don’t get to shape your business as you would like, offering the products or services that you wish to offer, but the mentor will drive the process of turning it into a success – which, presumably, is the object of the exercise at the end of the day.

The Qualities You Need to See in a Business Mentor

It is important to understand that what the mentor should be doing is not running your business on your behalf, but equipping you with the skills to be able to run it yourself. They should be teaching the client what they know, demonstrating patience and tolerance of any shortcomings. After all, if you didn’t have any you would not be requiring of their services in the first place!

Thus it is not enough for a mentor simply to have a sound knowledge of business. What is every bit as important is that they are possessed of the necessary people skills to be able to make you feel comfortable in their presence, and to share their knowledge and skills with you in such a way as to enable you to pick them up and carry on where they left off once your business with them is done.