Do you have a marketing mentor?
A mentor is a tutor, a guide, a counselor, a coach. Think of the Star Wars movies. Every Luke Skywalker needs a Yoda. Every Rey needs a Luke.
While you don’t have to be a Jedi knight to agree that having a mentor is a good thing, most people don’t know how to find one or use one. And despite widespread approval for the idea of being a mentor, most people don’t think they have the time or skills to do so.
Could mentoring be the secret ingredient to professional and personal success?
“A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you,” says mentoring expert Bob Proctor.
Not everyone can afford to hire a famous marketing mentor like Proctor, Seth Godin, Michael Hyatt, or Michael Gerber, but we can read and listen to their books.
Speaking of books, here is a book that can help with the quest to find a mentor. In One Minute Mentoring, legendary management guru Ken Blanchard and Claire Diaz-Ortiz, a former Twitter executive and early employee, combine their knowledge to provide a systematic approach to intergenerational mentoring, giving readers great insight into the power and influence of mentoring and encouraging them to pursue their own mentoring relationships.
Using Blanchard’s classic parable format (who doesn’t love a good yarn), the book explains why developing effective communication and relationships across generations can be a tremendous opportunity for companies and individuals alike (if you are like me, you will get a copy to listen to on Audible).
Working within a mentoring relationship is a powerful way to grow in your career. Whether you’re learning from a seasoned pro or passing along your wisdom, mentoring offers a host of benefits—from increased knowledge and skills to elevated energy and deep satisfaction.
But how do mentoring relationships begin, develop, and thrive? And what are the guidelines for keeping a mentoring relationship on track? The answers can be found in this engaging business parable.
The book is a parable about Josh Hartfield, 27, who has been in the same sales job for five years. He’s burned out, his career has stalled, and he isn’t even sure he wants to work in sales anymore. A chance encounter leads Josh to Diane Bertman, a high-performing sales executive about to turn 60.
Together they discover the power of mentorship: Josh as he transitions to a new career path, and Diane as she reignites her passion for meaningful work.
I enjoyed One Minute Mentoring because it provides practical tools for developing successful mentoring relationships. One Minute Insights at the end of each chapter and a model at the end of the book guide readers step-by-step to create lasting, beneficial mentorships.
