What Stephen Covey Taught Me – Great Business Mentors are Key
by Robert
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Monday, 22 December 2014
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Published in Articles, Leadership, Lifelong Learning, Networking
Alan Hall has contributed a number of great articles to Forbes.com from which great pointers regarding leadership, mentoring and learning can be taken. Among them is this great article which gives tribute to Stephen Covey as one of his mentors. It begins:
“Expert advisors are a business builder’s best friends and resources. We might also call them coaches, teachers or mentors. They are people with specific expertise, knowledge and business relationships. They have learned the key principles and best practices of their trade. They think abundantly and are willing to share what they know with those who ask for assistance. They have been taught themselves by other luminaries and are delighted to “pay it forward.”
Choosing a mentor is not a one-time occurrence. Smart entrepreneurs continue to enlist advisors themselves throughout their lives for guidance, instruction and counsel.
A mentor might be an attorney, a CPA, a supervisor from the past, a kind competitor, an angel investor, a banker or a successful entrepreneur. Most are happy to give assistance pro bono. They are generous with their advice but cautious with their time. Savvy entrepreneurs respect this special gift and carefully manage the relationship.
Finding mentors to advise is not difficult. They are plentiful and eager to help. As a particular and unfamiliar business matter surfaces, ask friends and associates for the names of individuals with the necessary expertise. Clearly describe the situation and ask how to proceed. Learn the pros and cons of various options. A mentor may also recommend others who might be helpful, a class to attend, or valuable publications you might study for answers.
