Do you use a business mentor ?

[JEREMY HAWKE]

[QUOTE="AllUpHere, post: 2920199, member: 231812I could set myself up as a coach or mentor tomorrow, and be booked up for months by the end of next week. Why can't they?

What gives you that idea??[/QUOTE]

Experience and business knowlage I dont know @AllUpHere s coaching capabilities but if he is able to impart his experience in an effective way he would be a far better mentor than some of the class room bunnies that claim to be mentors

I could be a mentor but I wont make that claim or say I would be a good one because I would lose my temper at some of the dumb ass questions that they would ask

 

[Redd]

What gives you that idea??

Experience and business knowlage I dont know @AllUpHere s coaching capabilities but if he is able to impart his experience in an effective way he would be a far better mentor than some of the class room bunnies that claim to be mentors

I could be a mentor but I wont make that claim or say I would be a good one because I would lose my temper at some of the dumb ass questions that they would ask [/QUOTE]

We could all be mentors. I think any businessman who has been around 5-10+ years could be a valuable aid to many a business therefore a mentor/coach. Could they be 3-6 months booked out in advance within a few weeks I very much doubt!

Booked out for 5 hours a day for 6 months would be approx 500k turnover in a year. I’m not saying it couldn’t happen, not at all but it’s a bold claim to suggest @AllUpHere could do this from a standard start whilst suggesting a proven method like Action Coach is a waste Of time (In some cases)

 

[Mark T Jones]

What gives you that idea??

Experience and business knowlage I dont know @AllUpHere s coaching capabilities but if he is able to impart his experience in an effective way he would be a far better mentor than some of the class room bunnies that claim to be mentors

I could be a mentor but I wont make that claim or say I would be a good one because I would lose my temper at some of the dumb ass questions that they would ask [/QUOTE]

Whilst experience and knowledge are useful I wouldn’t say they are the core skills of a good mentor

What a mentor really needs is the people skills to encourage people to question, to reasearch and to evaluate. Above all it isn’t about dishing out knowledge but getting them to find out

I was a volunteer mentor under the NEA scheme. I think I helped people but, like you, lacked the patience to be really good st it. Bit so much dumb questions, but constant attempts at getting quick or easy answers to complex questions

 

[Ashley_Price]

Like I have said before on this forum, why is there such a negative feeling towards business coaches or mentors?

If you look at sports, some of the top sports people, are coached by those who either had little or no experience playing the sport themselves (certainly up to the top level).

So, why is it that someone cannot be a top business coach, unless they've had a successful business themselves?

After all, isn't a coach or mentor meant to be an extra pair of eyes? We are often so involved in our own business that we don't look above the parapet and see what's out there, that could fundamentally change our business for the better (or worse). Having a mentor could be that person who has the overview and can see what you are doing wrong and need to change.

 

[Lucky8]

Mentors are very different to coaches. Action Coaches are franchisees. In the coaching world they are not rated, bit like the Woolworths cash and carry of the coaching world.
Coaching can be amazing, and the coach doesn't have to know your business to help you. Their expertise is in the coaching techniques and should come from really top knotch training.
Mentors on the other hand have direct experience of either your business or your situation. They offer experience, and likewise can be effective. Having the experience is not enough though, they need to have the skills to transfer and help too, which isn't guaranteed.

For specific business situations on a project basis where the focus was more on what needs doing rather than working things out, I'd hire a specific mentor. For everything else, I'd hire a coach.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Well I don't get it .It is all a load of old bunkem
Not only have a done a little bit in business I have also done some coaching in a couple of sports
Business coaching is nothing like coaching an athlete ! With an athlete you can see all you need to see if you know what you are looking for .
In this business game there are so many different variables that effect so many different situations in many different ways that you cant compare the two

 

[Lucky8]

Well I don't get it .It is all a load of old bunkem

Why would you say that when studies have shown high quality coaching is extraordinarily effective, and most leading business people have coaching (with regular checks to see it's working, i.e. through results?)

Some business coaches also coach athletes, not in their technique, but help them with their mental approach.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I am very aware of the value of psychological coaching in sport but I rate those who have walked the walk more than these so call business coaches .
I myself would turn your point on its head and look at it from the other way . A sports coach is a better motivator than a business coach . !
For example the Welsh rugby strength and conditioning coach Paul Stridgreon is a very good motivator
Joe Smitzt the Irish Rugby manager advises VW staff at VW Ireland and has built his life on his tactical and leadership skills
Pete Goss the round the world sailor helps many businesses the list goes on !

Don't trust any of these studies too much unless you understand their motives and agenda
I really do think there are a lot of chancers that claim to be business coaches
To sum up my answer to your point I don't trust a statement "studies have shown high quality coaching is extraordinarily effective" !
If people are going to quote studies and research on here they need to explain what study and who did it and even better who payed for it

 

[Lucky8]

A lot of confusing stuff there. Those who have walked the walk may not be effective at all in helping someone solve their problems. Coaching isn't about motivating at all, so not sure what this point of mine that you are turning on its head is about.
The studies I refer to are peer-reviewed (ie challenged), published (ie have to jump validity loops) studies with no agendas. I wonder why you trust a handful of personal anecdotes, with all the bias and lack of generalisability that comes with it, to make general statements, yet "wouldn't trust a statement" which refers you to evidence-based studies. There are many, for example Theeboom (2013) is a well known one.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

A lot of confusing stuff there. Those who have walked the walk may not be effective at all in helping someone solve their problems. Coaching isn't about motivating at all, so not sure what this point of mine that you are turning on its head is about.
The studies I refer to are peer-reviewed (ie challenged), published (ie have to jump validity loops) studies with no agendas. I wonder why you trust a handful of personal anecdotes, with all the bias and lack of generalisability that comes with it, to make general statements, yet "wouldn't trust a statement" which refers you to evidence-based studies. There are many, for example Theeboom (2013) is a well known one.

I am speaking from experience
You know who I am and where to find me do we know who you are ! ?

 

[Clinton]

Like I have said before on this forum, why is there such a negative feeling towards business coaches or mentors?

Because the people who go out there advertising themselves as mentors (or gurus, or thought leaders or visionaries) are generally pratts.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Because the people who go out there advertising themselves as mentors (or gurus, or thought leaders or visionaries) are generally pratts.

Yes, there are a lot of them out there. There's even a franchise that "anyone" can buy into and call themselves a business coach.

However, there are those who are amazing.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Because the people who go out there advertising themselves as mentors (or gurus, or thought leaders or visionaries) are generally pratts.

That's is exactly what I have been trying to get it
I asked for evidence to back up this BS and all I got was questions about my views from a poster from the untraceable organisation !

We now have a study from an industry guru who brings credibility to the debate
@Clinton who has concluded as a result of decades of study "Generally they are pratts "

There you have it

 

[Clinton]

Er, I'm not just a guru. I'm also a visionary, a ninja etc etc. And I can walk on water.

Have some respect!

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Er, I'm not just a guru. I'm also a visionary, a ninja etc etc. And I can walk on water.

Have some respect!

Yeh but I didn't know you wanted everybody to know that

Your a tiger !

 

[Lucky8]

I asked for evidence to back up this BS and all I got was questions about my views from a poster from the untraceable organisation !

Yikes.
You described coaching and mentoring as: "it is all a load of old bunkem."
When I pointed out that there was indeed much evidence for the effectiveness of high quality coaching, you said you wouldn't trust any statements about such studies.
You then said "they need to explain what study and who did it and even better who payed for it".
I gave you an example of such a study, with who did it, and you can see nobody paid for it.
You peculiarly didn't comment on the evidence and made some strange comment about not knowing who I am.

So no, you asked for evidence, you got it, and then ignored it. Now you're saying I'm a poster from "the untraceable organisation". What organisation are you talking about?

As Clinton said, most people who advertise themselves as visionaries etc are pratts. However, as Ashley_Price and I have earlier said, if you step away from the awful coaching franchise people, there are some coaches out there who are incredibly effective. And mentors too.

I just don't see why anyone would be so vehemently against the idea (and the evidence..) that some people who are mentors and coaches are amazing at what they do.

 

[jrwatson]

Yes, profits increased dramatically after.

 

[Ray272]

I have the odd chinwag with a trusted supplier or client and listen to advice if I discuss an issue and vice versa but seeking out a mentor is not something I would do. I had a couple of very experienced partners when I began in biz. One knew all about import/export/biz admin and finance and the other was purely sales driven. A great combo to learn from. Thanks guys.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I have the odd chinwag with a trusted supplier or client and listen to advice if I discuss an issue and vice versa but seeking out a mentor is not something I would do. I had a couple of very experienced partners when I began in biz. One knew all about import/export/biz admin and finance and the other was purely sales driven. A great combo to learn from. Thanks guys.

Well done Ray This actually the best post on this thread
This is something we have not mentioned much and something I have always done . It is always better to talk to the grey old Fox that has run a few companies and seen a thing or two . Even if he has gone bust owing 20 million when he was good looking in his prime .
If you know somebody like this these are the ones you should listen too .Through all their faults, trials and tribulations they have all the wisdom you need Don't pay somebody that claims to be a mentor

 

[Qukaylan]

Keep calm and bring your lawyer with you. My golden rule is that I don’t use any sort of mentoring as I am paying very good lawyer and financial consultant to be my mentors for business questions that I have