Finding A Mentor or Coach
Posted on March 17, 2008
Filed Under Branding You
In Tuesday’s edition of BrandingYOU! I made the case that everyone can benefit from having a coach or mentor – regardless of his or her level of expertise. Why reinvent the wheel when there are people out there who have successfully accomplished what you want to accomplish. So how do you identify the best one for you? Choosing a coach or mentor could be one of the most significant steps you take along your career path. The right choice promises fewer bumps along the road. The wrong choice could leave you lost. Enough clichéd metaphors; suffice to say that it is a big decision.
First, exercise scrutiny. More than 40,000 people here in the U.S. identify themselves as coaches and as in any profession there are great ones and there are charlatans. Seek referrals from friends or colleagues that have had success with a particular coaching professional. While all coaching relationships should be confidential, it is appropriate to ask a prospective coach for references.
Here’s my best advice on this subject: aim for the top. If you’re committed to being masterful at something learn from the masters. Who in your profession do you admire, aspire to emulate and perhaps exceed in their success? If you’re a home improvement expert and aspire to be the next Ty Pennington, commit to connecting with him. Now, of course, super celebrities are not readily available or even interested in taking you on. But their success stories are well documented. Follow a winner. Read everything you can find on how they did it. Who has advised them along the way? Who is their agent, publicist, attorney and accountant? No one succeeds alone. Find a coach, consultant or career manager to be your committed partner in designing and implementing a game plan for your success.
Comments
Leave a Reply