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Tag: Mentors

  • The end of one-direction career pathways: Why empowering students sets the best course for future success

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    Key points:

    When middle school students make the leap to high school, they are expected to have a career path in mind so their classes and goals align with their future plans. That’s a tremendous ask of a teenager who is unaware of the opportunities that await them–and emerging careers that have yet to exist.

    Mentors, parents, and educators spend so much time urging students to focus on their future that we do them a disservice by distracting them from their present–their passions, their interests, their hobbies. This self-discovery, combined with exposure to various career fields, fuels students’ motivation and serves as a guidebook for their professional journey.

    To meet their mission of directing every student toward an individualized post-secondary plan, schools need to prioritize recognizing each student’s lifestyle goals. That way, our kids can find their best-fit career and develop greater self-awareness of their own identity.

    Give students greater autonomy over their career exploration

    The most problematic aspect of traditional career-readiness programs is that they’re bound so tightly to the classes in which a student excels.

    For example, a high schooler on a technology track might be assigned an engineer as a mentor. However, that same student may also possess a love for writing, but because their core classes are science-based, they may never learn how to turn that passion into a career in the engineering field, whether as a UX writer, technical editor, or tech journalist. 

    Schools have the opportunity to help students identify their desired lifestyle, existing strengths, and possible career paths. In Aurora Public Schools in Nebraska, the district partnered with our company, Find Your Grind, an ESSA Tier 2 validated career exploration program, to guide students through a Lifestyle Assessment, enabling them to discover who they are now and who they want to become. Through this approach, teachers helped surface personalized careers, mentors, and pathway courses that aligned with students’ lifestyle goals.

    Meanwhile, in Ohio, school districts launched Lifestyle Fairs, immersive, future-ready events designed to introduce students to real-world career experiences, industry mentors, and interactive learning grounded in self-discovery. Hilliard City Schools, for example, welcomed more than seventh-grade students to a Lifestyle Fair this past May. 

    Rather than rely on a conventional booth-style setup, Hilliard offered interactive activations that centered on 16 lifestyle archetypes, including Competitor, Explorer, Connector, and Entrepreneur. The stations allowed students to engage with various industry leaders and participate in hands-on activities, including rocket launch simulations and creative design challenges, to ignite their curiosity. Following the Fair, educators reported increased student engagement and a renewed enthusiasm for learning about potential career paths.

    Create a fluidity path for future success

    According to the World Economic Forum, by 2030, 97 million jobs will be displaced by AI, significantly impacting lower-wage earners and workers of color. At the same time, 170 million new jobs are expected to be created, especially in emerging fields. By providing students more freedom in their career exploration, educators can help them adapt to this ever-changing 21st-century job market.

    Now is the time for school districts to ensure all students have access to equitable career planning programs and work to close societal disparities that hinder professional opportunities. Instead of setting students on a predetermined pathway toward a particular field–which may or may not exist a decade from now–educators must equip them with future-proof and transferable core skills, including flexibility, initiative, and productivity, in addition to job-specific skills. As the job market shifts, students will be prepared to change direction, switch jobs, and pivot between careers. 

    In Hawaii, students are taking advantage of career exploration curriculum that aligns with 21st-century career and technical education (CTE) frameworks. They are better prepared to complete their Personal Transition Plans, which are required for graduation by the state, and have access to micro-credentials that give them real-world experience in different industries rather than one particular field.

    For decades, career planning has placed students in boxes, based on what the adults in their lives expect of them. Ensuring every child reaches their full professional potential means breaking down the barriers that have been set up around them and allowing them to be at the center of their own career journey. When students are empowered to discover who they are and where they want to be, they are excited to explore all the incredible opportunities available to them. 

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    Nick Gross, Find Your Grind

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  • Starting a Business? You Need Founder Friends — Here’s Why | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Starting a business can be a lonely endeavor. No matter how confident you are in your product and in yourself, there will always be times when doubt creeps in — usually just as you’re trying to fall asleep.

    These crises of confidence can be fatal to your vision, but they don’t have to be. And one way to stave off the startup scaries is by having other founders in your life to lean on.

    Back when Jotform was a company of one (me), I had a close friend who was also a fellow early-stage founder. His idea — selling beauty products online — was conceptually completely different from mine, but that didn’t matter. We were facing the same struggles, the same uncertainties and many of the same difficult decisions.

    Each week, we’d spend hours walking through New York, hashing out our ideas as we traversed the cobbled streets of SoHo to the tree-lined walking paths of Brooklyn Heights. We’d exchange marketing and SEO ideas, workshopping products and sales strategies. We celebrated each other’s small wins — like landing a new customer or finally fixing a stubborn bug — and vented about the setbacks. Those conversations didn’t just make me feel less alone; they sharpened my thinking and kept me accountable. In a phase of life where so much felt uncertain, that kind of camaraderie was invaluable.

    For founders, especially solo founders, having someone who understands the unique pressure of building something from scratch can make all the difference. Here’s why.

    Related: You Can’t Succeed Alone — Why Small Businesses Must Work Together

    The power of peers vs. mentors

    I believe strongly in the power of mentors, and think everyone should have one. Mentors have been in your shoes and can offer sage advice that comes from experience and hindsight. But while mentors are indispensable, peers bring something different — and equally essential — to the table.

    A mentor can tell you how they handled a particular situation five or 10 years ago. A peer, on the other hand, can tell you what they did last week — and whether it worked. The advice is current, and the exchange goes both ways. You’re not just receiving guidance, you’re collaborating.

    Peers also provide something mentors can’t always offer: emotional resonance. They’re in the trenches with you, facing the same economic climate, technological changes and customer expectations. There’s no need to explain why a poorly executed launch or bad hire feels devastating. They already know. That shared understanding builds trust fast, and trust leads to lasting bonds.

    In those early walks with my founder friend, we weren’t pretending to have it all figured out. We were troubleshooting in real time, riffing on ideas, asking questions and giving each other the push we needed to keep going. It didn’t matter that our products were different — what mattered was that our challenges were the same. I also found that working through his business issues gave my brain a needed break from focusing on my own. Oftentimes, I’d return to my desk afterwards with fresh insights I would never have had if I’d kept spiraling on my own bumps in the road.

    Related: I Mentor First-Time Entrepreneurs — These Are the 4 Unseen Benefits I Gained By Giving Back

    Where to find founder friends

    These days, most of my close friends are also fellow founders. Running a business is pretty consuming, but we don’t just talk strategy — our conversation drifts equally around the people we hire, our company cultures and how to be motivational leaders. I’ve learned so much during our hangouts over coffee or beer that no book or YouTube video could ever have taught me.

    If you’re launching a business but don’t yet have a built-in founder community, don’t despair. These days, there are tons of resources for connecting with like-minded people. Subreddits like r/Entrepreneur and communities like Indie Hackers are great starting points, but don’t just stop at making online connections. Check your city for tech meetups — with startups more geographically dispersed than ever, you don’t need to live in New York or the Bay Area to find one near you. And as with most things, your existing network is one of your most powerful resources. Make it known you’re looking to build up your community of fellow founders. In all likelihood, you know someone who knows someone doing the same.

    If you’re an introvert like me, you may find all this intimidating. But the truth is, so much of running a business is relationship-building. And remember, these early meetups don’t have to be formal. A 20-minute coffee chat can lead to years of camaraderie.

    Once you’ve made a connection, carve out space for it. My friend and I had our weekly walks in New York. You might have a 30-minute Zoom every other Friday, or a WhatsApp thread where you trade updates and cheer each other on. Consistency is key. These conversations are most powerful when they become habitual, rather than a one-off.

    And finally — be honest. This isn’t an interview. You don’t need to posture or pretend. Talk about the idea that fizzled. Be real about your scaling woes. Vulnerability is what makes relationships meaningful. It’s also what makes them useful. Because the goal isn’t to impress, it’s to grow.

    Building a business will always come with moments of doubt. But having people around you who truly understand what you’re going through can make the path feel a lot less lonely.

    Starting a business can be a lonely endeavor. No matter how confident you are in your product and in yourself, there will always be times when doubt creeps in — usually just as you’re trying to fall asleep.

    These crises of confidence can be fatal to your vision, but they don’t have to be. And one way to stave off the startup scaries is by having other founders in your life to lean on.

    Back when Jotform was a company of one (me), I had a close friend who was also a fellow early-stage founder. His idea — selling beauty products online — was conceptually completely different from mine, but that didn’t matter. We were facing the same struggles, the same uncertainties and many of the same difficult decisions.

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    Aytekin Tank

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  • 5 Ways Solopreneurs Can Scale Their Business Through Collaboration | Entrepreneur

    5 Ways Solopreneurs Can Scale Their Business Through Collaboration | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    There’s no shortage of examples of successful solopreneurs who have forged their own path to grow ground-breaking businesses. They’re often held up as people who value autonomy and control and who approach business building like it’s a hero’s journey.

    But I believe our culture has blown the “solo” part of solopreneurship out of proportion, leading many would-be entrepreneurs and creators to feel like they have to go it alone. And while solopreneurs are solely responsible for making decisions about their businesses, it doesn’t mean they have toil away independently on every aspect of it. Doing so can actually be detrimental.

    Many successful entrepreneurs find ways to involve others for support and guidance and to create a shared journey. Through my work with creators, many of whom are solopreneurs, I’ve seen how this approach can be transformational. For example, for many years, my company has hosted an event in which women of color within the creator economy have shared their experiences. We found that creating space for these solopreneurs led to record-breaking attendance. It’s all part of a larger movement that has seen solopreneurs come together in real life and on virtual platforms to leverage the power of community and collaboration.

    Related: 5 Ways for Solopreneurs to Sustain Momentum and Thrive

    As a solopreneur, you are part of something bigger

    The growing number of solopreneurs has effectively changed the face of our economy. Today more than 80% of American small business owners operate without any staff. For some, this works well.

    But I’ve noticed that many creators, for example, go into their journey with the mistaken belief that if they can’t figure it out on their own, they’re not cut out for entrepreneurship. The reality is that stoically resisting help or not seeking out support or community can lead to loneliness, burnout and even depression.

    Working with others is powerful, and many brands are tapping into this movement and finding ways to facilitate inspiration and connection by bringing their communities together – whether it’s around e-commerce, crowdfunding, fitness or other aspects of life and business. The cliche really is true: we may go faster alone, but we often go farther together. Embracing a community-based approach can lead to tangible benefits.

    The power of finding your people (and places)

    Broadening your definition of solopreneurship isn’t just about finding people to work with though. It can also be about uncovering solutions you didn’t know existed, getting access to information or guidance from people who have been there, or even just having a place to go when you need a break from your home office. Here are a few of the ways I’ve seen individuals take a collaborative approach to solopreneurship – and reap the benefits:

    Choosing tech platforms that offer community

    We’ve all experienced the rise of online communities – public and private – but consider the unifying force of tech tools that support people in achieving specific goals. Whether it’s launching a course or implementing a payment system, you’ll find people rallied around platforms offering concrete solutions. Choose your platforms wisely, and you’ll end up with more than just tools; you may find new colleagues, collaborators and a wealth of shared expertise.

    Working from a coworking space

    Anyone who’s ever worked from home – or launched a business from their basement – understands the value of a good coworking space. Beyond situating you among peers, they offer rich gathering spaces for solopreneurs who want to network, learn, and enjoy the creative energy of others. Research has shown that people thrive in coworking spaces thanks to the collective boost in productivity and creativity – and that they can also be a great antidote to burnout.

    Attending in-person conferences and events

    Ever since Covid put a pause on live events, it’s been tough for many of us to get back into the swing of it. But there are benefits to immersing yourself in a room full of strangers – particularly the opportunity to forge deeper connections. Sharing new experiences with other people in person can lead to the kinds of bonds you just don’t get over Zoom (and making that in-person investment can open up other ways to maximize your returns there, too.)

    Teaming up with a partner

    Collabs are still having their moment, but they can be more than just a trendy way to build an audience. I get genuinely excited when I see solopreneurs I follow come together because I’ve seen how great collaborations can effectively fill business gaps. Plus, good partnerships can also uncover new opportunities, boost revenue and even fuel innovation. Sure, there can be risks to collaborations too, but as long as you stay true to your goals and your brand, you stand to benefit.

    Related: Solopreneurs are Changing the Face of the Economy

    Finding a mentor

    Much like peers, mentors offer business advice based on their lived experience, but they also bring the wisdom of seniority. But if the intimidation factor of approaching a mentor is holding you back, you can always start more informally. Many solopreneurs give back to their communities by sharing their learnings through courses or live events. Start by following people you admire and see what it can lead to.

    However you choose to expand your definition of solopreneurship, keep in mind that inviting others into your journey doesn’t negate your success; at the end of the day, the buck still stops with you. By piecing together a new narrative about the realities of solopreneurship, we can start to normalize the idea that creators and entrepreneurs don’t need to walk this road alone. And sometimes, just knowing that help – and a shoulder to lean on – is out there can go a long way toward boosting resilience, capacity, and the determination to keep going.

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    Christie Horsman

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  • An Expert Explains Why You Need a Personal Board of Advisors | Entrepreneur

    An Expert Explains Why You Need a Personal Board of Advisors | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    By the early 2000s, working for a single company for your entire career was rare. The new normal was fluid. Employees became more likely to move between organizations, or even switch industries entirely. Job mobility offers flexibility, but it also leaves many of us feeling overwhelmed and looking for guidance.

    How can we best draw on others’ support as we forge our own careers? I’m a professor of management at Babson College who has spent decades studying how mentors boost individual development and organizational success. After teaching thousands of students and executives, there’s one piece of advice I give everyone:

    You need to build a personal board of advisors to help guide your career.

    A personal board of advisors is a small part of your overall network: It’s a group of people invested in your success who you can turn to for advice and support. Here are five of the most important things to know about building your board of mentors.

    Related: What You Need to Know About Building a Small Business Advisory Board (and Why You Need One)

    Quality is more important than quantity

    A personal board of advisors falls between the solo guru you turn to for every question, and your 500-plus LinkedIn connections. It’s a smaller network of people who care and provide support for you throughout your career, including peers and role models. This network changes over time to reflect what you need at different career stages, as you will rely on them for everything from providing practical advice to advocating on your behalf.

    An extensive contact list does not translate to a better network. Prioritize high-quality connections over high-quantity networks. Try making a list of how many people you actually discuss your career with. You’ll notice it’s smaller than you may have thought.

    Here are the three characteristics to look for in a high-quality relationship:

    1. Positive intent — You and your mentor are both entering with good intentions and assume the best of each other.
    2. Mutuality — You’re both present and engaged when you’re speaking. You have a genuine connection and aren’t just trying to get something out of each other.
    3. Vitality — You leave the conversation feeling energized rather than drained.

    Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

    Everyone benefits from mentoring relationships. My research shows that mentees are happier, more satisfied in their careers, get promoted faster and learn new skills. Mentors get many of the same benefits, plus loyalty among their team and a reputation for supporting others.

    However, a common mistake people make when seeking mentorship (and that companies make when setting up mentorship programs) is relying on one person. More than 92% of Fortune 500 companies have mentoring programs in place. But many of these are 1:1 models, where an employee is matched with a single mentor. That’s a lot of pressure on a single relationship and whether you hit it off.

    More importantly, you need multiple perspectives on your personal board of advisors. Sometimes, you need support from within your organization. Other times, you need an external eye. Sometimes, you want a person who shares your existing interests. Other times, you want someone who shares new interests you’re looking to explore.

    Related: 8 Steps to Creating an Effective Advisory Board

    People are more willing to help than you think

    Reaching out can feel daunting. Everyone’s busy, and it can feel like you’re asking a lot. But research on reciprocity shows that when someone asks for help, our immediate instinct is to offer it. People are flattered to be asked for their advice and mentorship. That doesn’t mean you’ll always get a “yes,” but it should make you feel more confident asking.

    When you reach out or first meet a mentor, think through how you present your story. This is an introduction, not a sales pitch for why this person should mentor. Be honest; if you’re editing your story to strengthen a relationship with a mentor, it might be a sign to seek someone else.

    Take advantage of the moment when you’re new at an organization to reach out to people. There’s never an expiration date on seeking mentorship. But the first few months of a new job offer a natural alignment: It’s when you most need support and when other people are most inclined to give it.

    Your peers are some of your best mentors

    The most underrecognized and underutilized mentors are your peers. As you progress through the ranks into more senior positions, the pool of available mentors above you shrinks. By the time you get to CEOs, who don’t have a boss, peers are the main option to receive mentorship.

    Adding peers to your personal board of advisors is helpful at every career stage. A lot of peer mentorship is informal and spontaneous. Structure, however, can also be helpful. Set up a recurring time to meet, whether it’s once a week or once a year. And, as with other mentors, it’s best to have a diverse group of people with different perspectives.

    Peer mentoring allows us to grow through the advice we receive as mentees, but also as the mentor who’s offering said advice.

    Related: Randi Zuckerberg: Don’t Search for That ‘Pie-in-the-Sky Mentor’

    It’s on you to develop your personal board of advisors

    With the shift toward greater job mobility, companies stopped taking responsibility for cultivating employees’ entire career trajectories. The formal mentoring programs large companies have in place are aimed at developing employees in their role within the organization, not looking out for your career as a whole. You now need to be intentional about building your own career networks. No one will do it for you.

    Many executives I work with feel lonely in their professional journey. Oftentimes, the only person they’ll discuss their career with is their spouse or partner. They come to understand that they haven’t paid enough attention to their own growth and development.

    Even as an expert who teaches about building networks, I sometimes forget to focus on my own. But I remind myself that creating and maintaining quality relationships with multiple mentors is good for me, good for my advisors and good for my employer.

    It’s a win-win-win worth investing in.

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    Wendy Murphy

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  • 5 Traits You Must Have to Create More Leaders | Entrepreneur

    5 Traits You Must Have to Create More Leaders | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    How do you define a truly great leader? While most of us have witnessed great leadership at various points throughout our careers and professional development, it is challenging to accurately pinpoint the secret sauce in leadership success. Great leaders have some obvious qualities in common, like their capacity to share an inspiring vision for the future. Great leaders often possess passion and charisma. They are strong communicators who connect, motivate and enlist their teams to achieve lofty goals. And perhaps most notably, great leaders create a line of devout followers.

    Not so fast.

    Great leadership has very little to do with one’s ability to amass followers. In his bestselling book “In Search of Excellence,” leadership guru Tom Peters explains, “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.”

    While every great business leader attracts their fair share of admirers, they simply don’t consider collecting followers as either an objective or a gauge of their leadership success. Instead, great leaders understand that a key function of good leadership is to develop team members into the best version of themselves and leaders in their own right.

    Related: 5 Ways to Develop Leaders Within Your Own Ranks

    Characteristics of a truly great leader

    Great leadership is a surprisingly nuanced and selfless role.

    Great leaders embrace their employees, not just for who they are and the functions they perform now, but also for who they can become and the position they can develop. Strong, capable employees do not threaten great leaders. Rather, they value their team’s talents, recognize their potential, and leverage their spirit of achievement.

    Great leaders create opportunities for their people’s growth — mentoring, encouraging, and elevating. They give their employees space to improve, the luxury to make mistakes, and the opportunity to learn from those errors. Great leaders grant their teams the freedom to explore and the capacity to excel.

    Great leaders care about their employees first as people and second as workers. They conduct themselves with the greatest integrity and model every day what great leadership looks and sounds like. They strategically position their people for individual growth as well as the long-term success of the business.

    Now, isn’t that far more substantial than merely creating followers?

    Related: Here’s How You Can Create Leaders in Your Team

    How to be a better business leader

    I could list characteristics of a great leader until the cows come home, but recognizing traits of a great leader and being one — well, those are two different things entirely.

    So, what can you do to improve your leadership skills and elevate yourself to a truly great leader? It all starts with connection and engagement. The following are five actions you can implement to help you become a great leader who develops more great leaders.

    1. Delegate tasks and activities

    Empower your employees and create development opportunities by strategically delegating challenging tasks. Your willingness to delegate key activities demonstrates your trust in your team and your commitment to their development. It is also fantastic on-the-job training.

    Related: 3 Ways to Effectively Delegate at Work and at Home

    2. Be a transparent communicator

    Employees should not be left to guess or assume how you feel about certain business dynamics. Being as forthcoming as possible with your team demonstrates that you respect their capacity to grasp and appreciate our positions. In short, candor builds trust.

    3. Recognize excellence

    Do you have a high performer or a passionate contributor? Don’t be shy about showing your appreciation and celebrating excellence. Everyone on your team should understand how grateful you are for their positive impact on the business’s overall success. And when they fall short, guide them to hit their mark next time.

    4. Invest in leadership development

    Create mentorship and leadership development opportunities. Remember, leadership development is not a one-and-done initiative but rather a sustained commitment to the long-term advancement of your people. Consider offering various leadership workshops, webinars and executive coaching programs.

    Related: 7 Leadership Qualities of All Great Leaders

    5. Share your vision

    By sharing your vision for the business, you provide your team with a clear sense of purpose and the opportunity for alignment. Your vision is an inspirational guide and a driving force that affects every aspect of your business and your decisions, so don’t keep it a mystery.

    By developing your own leadership skills, you also enhance your ability to cultivate those same skills in your employees, which sounds a lot like your next big step toward long-term success.

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    Jason Zickerman

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  • How to Cultivate an Executive Presence That Persuades and Inspires | Entrepreneur

    How to Cultivate an Executive Presence That Persuades and Inspires | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Throughout my career, when I’m mentoring, coaching or providing career development feedback to business leaders, the one leadership skillset that most frequently comes up as a growth opportunity is developing ‘executive presence.’ While honing your executive presence can be a key factor in your career growth and the competency many leaders frequently need to refine, what exactly does executive presence require? How do you define it, how do you know when you have it, and what can you do to improve it?

    The problem with executive presence is that it’s like the old definition of art — you know it when you see it — but you can’t necessarily articulate just what “it” is. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to improve upon it if you don’t have a clear definition, so here’s how I see this.

    For me, executive presence is the total combined manner by which an executive “shows up” for the job of leadership. It’s that unique combination of skills, style, actions and reactions in service to the goal of leading your employees forward and driving organizational results. As John Quincy Adams put it, “if your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

    The reason executive presence can feel so elusive is because it’s not a singular concept of presence. Instead, it’s how you show meaning and authenticity. It’s not just what you wear or how you communicate — it’s the combination of everything that determines how people view you as a leader and why they look to you for direction.

    Related: How Executive Coaching Can Help You Level Up Your Organization

    Nurturing your results and reputation

    To perfect your executive presence, the first step is to earn a reputation for being great at what you do. While this is probably self-explanatory for many of you, I’ve found that being excellent in your role is the biggest determinant of how much executive presence you have.

    This is because people notice you for the right reasons when you’re skilled at your work. Consistently achieving stellar results is the foundation for all other executive presence traits. When you excel, you’re in the ideal position to be an inspiring and selfless leader because it allows you to build trust with those around you.

    Something I’ve noticed about people who consistently deliver results is that they all have reliability in common. I used the phrase “done done” when consulting to gauge reliability. When something was “done done,” it didn’t need edits and comments. It was zipped up and ready to go. Producing “done done” results is the highest form of reliability. When you, as a leader, can achieve this consistently, it’s invaluable for your reputation of reliability.

    Related: 10 Indirect Things We Get Judged On — How Do You Shape up?

    Helping others take action

    As executives, we’re paid to look to the future. That means it’s up to us to empower our teams to get us closer to our goals. Our teams will look to us for guidance and behaviors they should model, so our actions must demonstrate how they can serve the broader organization.

    One of the biggest keys to driving action is the ability to ask the right questions. Questions should always be insightful, probing and open-ended, with the goal of letting the team provide input in an open forum. For instance, what processes are failing, and where can we improve operations? What’s our next strategic goal to move the business forward? What techniques can I adopt as a leader to set the best example, and what strategies do I need to deploy to help my teams evolve? Asking thoughtful questions can also prevent you from making rash decisions before getting the full picture, saving you and your team precious time down the road.

    To help inspire action and convey understanding, leaders need to be able to summarize a situation effectively. Executives should be able to be concise, with the goal of orienting everyone to the company’s desired outcomes, communicating the purpose of those outcomes and articulating their impact on the future. Your ability to summarize thoroughly and succinctly is where your sense of executive presence can really shine.

    Perfecting your communication

    Communication is probably top of mind when you think of executive presence. Whenever you address others, choosing your words carefully is crucial.

    I am personally inspired by what author Kim Scott calls “radical candor” to describe communication in the context of executive presence. Essentially, this is the ability to say what needs to be said, not what you think ought to be said. I’m not saying you should berate an employee in a meeting or allow your staff to disrespect their colleagues. You need to ensure that people can express frank opinions, highlight when something doesn’t make sense, and know they can own a mistake without impacting their office’s reputation.

    To discern what needs to be said versus what you could say, ask yourself if your thoughts are in service to the goals you’re working toward. We all get frustrated at times, but your words always need to be helpful and actionable for the people in the room with you and the company overall — radical candor ties in with the humility to respectfully speak the truth while also listening to other opinions.

    Sharing the credit

    I want to touch on one more aspect: the importance of giving your teams as much credit as possible while resisting the urge to believe your hard work drove all the success. Leaders who adopt an others-first mentality almost always separate themselves from leaders who focus more on their own scorecard. Becoming a better leader starts with putting your employees first. People need to be recognized for their contributions to create an engaging and fulfilling workplace.

    Executive presence isn’t just how you appear in the meeting room — it’s how you present yourself daily. Executive presence encompasses expertise, action, and communication beyond the boardroom walls. Consistent results, collaborative action through insightful inquiry and communicating with radical candor and humility convey a sense of presence. Truthfully, there’s no magic to it. It all comes down to doing careful work and compellingly articulating yourself.

    As you strive to refine your executive presence, remember it’s not a destination but a continuous journey of self-improvement and authenticity. If we can learn to show up with more executive presence, we can pave the way for our personal growth and for the success of our teams and organizations as we shape a future where leadership thrives, and excellence prevails.

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    David Roberts

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  • 7 Tips to Maximize Mentor Relationships in Business | Entrepreneur

    7 Tips to Maximize Mentor Relationships in Business | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    A mentor is a valuable teacher for a company’s emerging talent, but in four decades of coaching sharp business-minded younger people, I’ve often been surprised at how much they have taught me. You really have to know your stuff when you teach someone. Mentoring has kept my skills sharp, and working so intensively with young team members has helped me keep up with new developments in my industry.

    A solid mentoring program can be the backbone of any company if it is done right. It should be a give-and-take relationship that’s about knowledge, not status, with honest feedback that goes both ways. And as I’ve found, it has rewards for both mentor and protégé.

    The rewards don’t always come from teaching job or career skills. My most memorable experience as a mentor began when I learned an employee was struggling with a drug and alcohol addiction. I worked with him and his wife to encourage admitting himself into a rehabilitation center for one year. It helped him get back on the right track, and he returned to work better than ever.

    I’ve also been mentored by some incredibly talented people. Three in particular come to mind: my father, franchising legend Roy Titus; his long-term employee, Gary Rockwell; and my father-in-law, J.J. Prendamano, who was General Manager at United Franchise Group (UFG) for many years. They all taught me the value of hard work and were unique in their ability to get things done and keep moving forward in good times and bad; I’ve often drawn on their examples.

    J.J. left his mark on UFG in many ways, including starting our mentor program over 25 years ago which continues to this day. Here are some lessons we’ve learned in that time.

    Related: 4 Benefits of Finding a Mentor

    1. Don’t let status define the mentorship

    The mentor is usually more experienced than the protégé, but being higher up in the organization doesn’t automatically make someone an expert in everything. As General Manager, J.J. reported to me, but I welcomed him sharing his extensive knowledge. Everyone can be an expert in something, and protocol should never stop you from sharing it with another.

    2. Approach a potential mentor tactfully, respectfully and clearly

    Start by expressing your admiration for their work or achievements and sharing how their experience aligns with your aspirations. Then, communicate what you hope to gain from the mentorship, and assure them you can commit the necessary time and energy. Highlight how you can contribute to the objectives, even if it’s just by bringing a fresh perspective.

    3. Look for promise and possibility in a protégé

    Approach them and tell them your opinion of the opportunities you see. Share insights or experiences that could benefit them and gauge their interest in mentorship. Be mindful of their autonomy, and ensure the mentorship would be welcomed and beneficial from their perspective. People either have thin skin or thick skin, so when sharing constructive criticism, choose your words and tone wisely.

    4. Set expectations and rules right from the start

    What is each person looking for in this relationship? What career advancement is the protégé looking for, and can they expect to achieve it? Work out each person’s responsibilities to each other and the relationship, and establish clear rules. Don’t assume anything, especially regarding off-limit subjects or behaviors.

    Related: 3 Pivotal Qualities to Look For in a Great Mentor

    5. Have an agenda, but let the meeting go where it needs to go

    At UFG, we believe in formal meetings with an agenda and always in a conference room or out for lunch, including when mentors and protégés get together. Know the purpose of your session, and you’ll get more done. Don’t be afraid to deviate; good ideas can pop up at the most unexpected times. Just be sure the unplanned business is relevant and doesn’t derail the planned business.

    6. Ask a lot of questions

    This is important for both mentor and protégé. The protégé should be filled with questions about the subjects you explore and should never be afraid to ask them. The mentor should ask questions that challenge the protégé’s assumptions and help them approach problems creatively. “Are you sure about that? How do you know? What if the situation changes?”

    7. Be willing to share your mistakes

    Mentors must be willing to share experiences, even if it makes them look bad (“Learn from my mistakes”), so humility is essential — so is trust. To ensure an open dialogue, agree that “What happens in our mentor meetings stays in our mentor meetings.”

    Mentoring really can be the core or backbone of any company if it is done right. Having the more experienced employees pass on great nuggets they’ve learned over the years to the newbies (protégé) is more valuable than anything else you could do.

    Related: 6 Reasons Why Business Leaders Should Implement Official Mentor Programs

    Not all mentorships work out, and that’s okay. If the mentorship isn’t fulfilling its intended purpose, it’s best to have an open and honest conversation about it. Thank your mentor for their time and guidance, but express that you feel the relationship might not best fit your current needs. This approach should also apply if you’re a mentor who feels the relationship doesn’t benefit your mentee. Maintaining professionalism and respect throughout this process is important, as you never know when your paths may cross again.

    Mentoring has enabled me to exercise one of my greatest passions, helping people become successful. I hope I’ll be remembered as a positive force for good in helping others succeed by sharing my experiences and knowledge. Thanks to the rising stars I’ve worked with throughout my career, mentoring has also left its mark on me.

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    Ray Titus

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  • Why Owning Your Decisions Is Critical to Your Success As An Entrepreneur | Entrepreneur

    Why Owning Your Decisions Is Critical to Your Success As An Entrepreneur | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    One of the biggest gifts I’ve had in my life has been my mentors. They’ve given me direction and advice that has gotten me where I am today. When I say there’s value in listening to others, I truly mean it.

    But there’s a big difference between taking great advice from people you respect and collapsing under interpersonal or social “shoulds.” This might look like getting the job your parents want you to get or following a career path you can’t stand because everyone tells you it’ll make you financially secure. Fearless leadership requires you to own what you want with no apologies.

    What it means to own your “wants”

    Owning your wants as a leader is synonymous with authenticity and self-awareness. It doesn’t require you to completely disregard traditions or the paths others have taken to find success. You can still deeply respect those. It just means you understand yourself enough to know what will fulfill you — and take accountability for obtaining that fulfillment for yourself. If you must go in a different direction than others to be happy or get what you need, don’t hesitate.

    Let’s pause on that idea of self-accountability for a moment. Some people make the mistake of interpreting self-accountability to mean that they must do everything independently. But no one successful has known everything or been able to do everything. The most successful people know their limits and are grateful to take help and delegate where possible. So, as you seek to take ownership of your true desires and goals, accept that it’s okay to build a team that can support you.

    Related: How to Give Constructive Feedback That Actually Empowers Others

    Why taking ownership is so hard

    Owning what you want can be hard — other people can be closed-minded or have their own goals. They can try everything to convince you that the path you want to walk is foolish, simply because they haven’t walked it themselves or don’t want you to get in their way by rocking the boat. Their efforts to dissuade you can do a serious number on your confidence.

    Then there are the logistical hurdles. How will you pay $100,000 when all you’ve got is $50,000? What if the certification you need isn’t offered for another year and requires you to relocate? Some will never own their dream because they don’t know how to overcome those problems.

    Finally, being self-aware is a rare gem — even though 95% of people think they’re self-aware, only 10-15% are. Maybe people haven’t had the chance to explore and figure themselves out. Or, perhaps they’re unwilling to break out of familiar habits, get feedback or reflect on what they believe. Either way, without self-awareness, it’s hard for a person to identify where they want to go and have conviction about that decision.

    Related: How Listening Can Help You Build a Culture of Trust in Your Business

    How to own what you want

    Looking at the three main issues that hold people back from owning what they want, five steps can help you go after what matters to you:

    • Connect with yourself. Techniques like mindfulness, journaling, trying new hobbies or getting feedback can help you discover who you are. Once you have a better sense of self, it’s easier to identify what will be meaningful or beneficial to you.
    • Define what you want. Do you build a legacy as a CEO over decades or move on every few years? Does being wealthy mean $100,000 a year or $1 million? The more clearly defined your goal is, the easier it is to understand the responsibility you’re taking on, assess what’s realistic and develop ways to measure progress.
    • Believe you deserve to achieve it. It’s common for people to get wrapped up in doubts or shame. When something good happens, they feel unworthy and mentally point out others who should get what they want instead. Accepting the belief you deserve to achieve as part of connecting with yourself silences this negative inner critic and the naysayers who might try to keep you stuck. The more justified you feel in pursuing the goal, the less likely you are to abandon it.
    • Figure out the steps necessary to achieve what you want. Most logistical issues can be figured out if you break them down into smaller action points. Mentors and teammates can help you consider alternatives and get the necessary information to move sensibly from one small point to another.
    • Take action. Even the most brilliantly broken-down plan won’t amount to much unless you do what’s on it. Face your fears and bravely confront each step, trusting you can sort through any bumps that might come up along the way.

    Related: 7 Tips on How to Manifest Success in Your Business

    Taking ownership is not easy, but it makes your soul rich

    Owning what you want admittedly is no cakewalk — doing your own thing and swimming against the current takes bravery. But taking on the risks of pressing upstream increases the odds that, in the end, you’ll be fulfilled. Because innovation and competitiveness almost always ride on the heels of a dream someone claimed and took pride in, don’t compare yourself. Just be honest about why you crave the path you do and take it.

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    Brendan P. Keegan

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  • 3 Pivotal Qualities to Look For in a Great Mentor | Entrepreneur

    3 Pivotal Qualities to Look For in a Great Mentor | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    When I was just starting on my leadership journey, I needed good people to push me to do great things (and stop me from doing stupid things). In the sense that learning never stops, that’s still true.

    Because my firsthand experience with mentors has been so valuable, I advocate hard for others to find people who can guide them — regardless of whether they’re new to the game or have seen a few seasons. Knowing some specific criteria to look for in a mentor can make your search a lot easier.

    1. The ability to teach you in a realistic, relevant way

    I love legendary basketball player Larry Bird. There’s arguably nobody better to show someone how to perform well on the court. But if I went out as a 23-year-old business professional and got him as a mentor, he’d probably look at me, scratch his head at my suit and ask, “So, what am I going to teach you?”

    People can have incredible skills that can make them seem like gods to you. But sometimes, what someone else has done in their career really isn’t a good fit for the kind of career you actually want to have.

    Be grounded. Find someone who has walked the type of journey you want to walk, whether that’s within your own company or elsewhere. Look at their LinkedIn profile — see how they started and worked their way up. The closer their experience is to what you’d like to learn and do, the better mentor-mentee match you’ll probably have.

    This idea of relevance extends beyond your field. If a potential mentor can’t relate to you because of their age, gender or other elements, it doesn’t mean they’re not a great professional. It just means they might not connect with or inspire you in the way that you need.

    Related: You Need a Mentor. Here’s Where to Find One for Free

    2. Good connections

    Not too long ago, someone was open with me about what they wanted to do. I had them go on LinkedIn and find five people who had a career they’d like to have (see above).

    I reached out on their behalf and was able to get the person I was mentoring a 30-minute Zoom meeting with one of the people on their mentoring wish list. All my mentee needed was someone who could link them up with the person whose career they admired.

    So when you’re considering potential mentors, think about who you know that might be able to reach out and advocate for you.

    3. Appropriate distribution of time

    A solid mentor track record doesn’t necessarily mean that someone has mentored many people. It means that they’ve consistently invested time in their mentees and that the mentees have been able to move forward because of that investment. They’re sitting down once per week, month or whatever works with the mentees and asking what’s on their minds. They are genuinely able to respond to the reasonable requests that their mentees have.

    Good mentors also should be able to give you homework assignments. If the mentor hasn’t mentored a lot and doesn’t realize you need this, it’s okay for you to ask them for some beneficial things you can do before your next meeting.

    Related: The Importance of Mentors

    Ask them if there are any podcasts, books, articles or other materials you should be looking into, and try to get a sense of how they see the world. Their answer — or lack of one — will clue you in about whether they’re active enough in your field or career space to help.

    Regardless of whether a mentor can come up with homework assignments on the fly or needs a little push to think about them, be willing to invest more time than your mentor does. One of my favorite books is The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. If I recommend that book to you and you haven’t read it in a month or two, that’d be a big yellow flag to me. I’d probably question why I was staying late after work to meet with you if you didn’t step up to the plate and take the advice that I gave you.

    Mentors don’t want or expect you to be a doormat, but they will expect you to put in real effort and have your priorities straight. Don’t get a mentor just because somebody told you that you should have one. Get a mentor because you’re willing to invest in them and your own success.

    Related: The Secret to Finding a Great Mentor: Don’t Ask to Be Mentored

    Once you have the right person, get serious and own it

    I’ve been fortunate enough to have had five mentors, all of whom were different in how they worked with me and what I was able to learn. I’ve observed and practiced what they do — like heeding the advice of a great presenter I admire to become a better speaker. However many successes I have had in my professional life, the majority would not have occurred without my mentors.

    My experience has shown me just how much others can share to help others grow, but I’ve also learned that there’s nothing better than digging in on tough projects next to someone who really knows their stuff.

    Remember: Talent might come naturally, but skills are things you have to work at and spend your time on. Find the right person who’s willing to go it alongside you in that work. From there, embrace more difficult tasks and own them.

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    Brendan P. Keegan

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  • Junior Staff Are Struggling to Adjust to Flexible Schedules — Here’s Why. | Entrepreneur

    Junior Staff Are Struggling to Adjust to Flexible Schedules — Here’s Why. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In today’s fast-paced business world, flexible work schedules have become increasingly popular, allowing employees to balance their professional and personal lives more effectively. However, with the rise of remote and hybrid work environments, one crucial aspect of employee development has taken a hit: mentoring. Recent findings by WFH Research, a group that includes Stanford University economist Nicholas Bloom and other scholars, show that on-site employees devote more time to mentoring and professional development than their remote counterparts. Namely, those who came to the office devoted about 40 more minutes a week to mentoring others, nearly 25 more in formal training and about 15 additional minutes each week doing professional development and learning activities.

    As a seasoned expert in helping leaders figure out a flexible return to office and hybrid work policy, I can attest that Bloom’s research is spot on. When you just let things take their natural course, junior staff suffer. No wonder leaders who previously showed strong support for flexibility like Marc Benioff and Mark Zuckerberg changed their minds, at least about junior staff, pushing them to come to the office for three days a week — but also asking senior staff to come to the office to mentor recent hires.

    Mentoring: The missing link in flexible work

    Unfortunately, their proposed solution is wrong-headed. Mandating in-office attendance for most of the workweek is bound to lead to attrition, resistance, disengagement and lowered productivity. And it will not be very effective for mentoring, either. In the context of the return-to-office wars, senior staff especially resent coming to the office with the sole goal of mentoring junior staff by osmosis. They tend to go to their office or cubicle, shut their door and put on their headphones, and try to avoid interacting with anyone else. Junior staff is usually too intimidated by this obviously hostile and standoffish attitude and fails to get mentoring.

    Instead, the solution is a structured mentoring program that embraces flexible schedules. Senior staff feels much less resentment about coming to the office once a week for several hours to do in-depth mentoring, along with some virtual mentoring sessions, compared to an obligation to come in three days a week for the weak soup of mentoring by osmosis.

    Picture a garden with an abundance of diverse and colorful plants. Each plant represents an employee, and the garden as a whole represents your organization. The sun, water, and nutrients these plants receive are akin to the mentoring and professional development opportunities that nourish your employees. Without these essential resources, the garden withers and fails to reach its full potential. Similarly, without a structured mentoring program, your employees’ growth may be stunted, leading to a less vibrant and successful organization.

    And it’s not only the gardening metaphor that illustrates effective mentoring: a study by Charter and Qualtrics of 3,005 desk-based workers in the United States does so as well. They found that “hybrid work does not limit the potential of mentoring” and “Successful mentoring relationships were similarly likely to occur if mentor and mentee met remotely [or in-person.”

    Similarly, the Harvard Business Review reports that “many individuals incorrectly presume that physical proximity is essential in developmental relationships. But like work itself, mentoring is defined less by the medium in which it is accomplished than by the outcomes delivered.” If you have “commitment, trust, relationship quality, and mentor competence,” these “are the real ingredients of developmental growth,” and you can have these in both in-person and “virtual mentorship.”

    But what is involved in a structured mentoring program of this sort?

    Related: CEOs Are Blaming The Need For Mentorship to Justify The Forced Return of All Employees. Reality Calls For a Very Different Approach.

    Individual lunch sessions: Planting the seeds of trust

    One-on-one in-person interactions with senior professionals serve as the sun in our garden analogy. These meetings foster personal bonding, vulnerability, psychological safety, and trust — the lifeblood of effective mentoring relationships.

    While these sessions are powerful, senior professionals’ time is limited, and most want to minimize their time in the office. That’s why it’s essential to incorporate other mentoring activities.

    Virtual coffee meetings: Nurturing connections across the distance

    Imagine these virtual meetings as the water that sustains our garden. After trust has been established through in-person interactions, virtual coffee meetings with senior professionals offer a convenient and accessible way to maintain relationships.

    The lower time burden and flexibility of these meetings make them an attractive option for busy senior professionals, no matter where they are in the world. I’m not simply referring to traveling: Many senior professionals at my clients moved to more attractive locales during the pandemic and only came to the office for quarterly retreats. They were too high-value for my clients to pressure them to return to the office.

    But, we ended up making arrangements where these senior professionals met their mentees during quarterly retreats and began their relationships in these intense bonding experiences. Then, they continued mentoring in these virtual meetings, having established the trust necessary to do so.

    Regardless of whether you do in-person or virtual meetings, make sure to do them often. Both my own experience with clients and the research by Charter and Qualtrics found it’s key to have frequent check-ins between mentors and mentees. In fact, according to the study, “Some 51% of very successful mentors meet with their mentees once a week or more often, compared to 37% for somewhat successful mentors.”

    Group lunch sessions: Cultivating collective wisdom

    Group lunch sessions act like the fertile soil that supports the growth of your organization’s garden. By engaging small groups of young employees with senior professionals, these sessions facilitate knowledge sharing and relationship building while making efficient use of senior professionals’ time. Such gatherings allow the collective wisdom of your organization to flourish.

    Moreover, much like the pollinators in our garden, group mentoring sessions encourage the cross-pollination of ideas among a cohort of younger employees mentored by a senior employee. This approach fosters a collaborative learning environment of peer-based learning and reduces the burden on senior employees of teaching junior staff, promoting a thriving ecosystem within your organization.

    Just like with one-on-one mentoring, group sessions are best started in person. Then, you can transition to remote once trust has built up.

    Coworking sessions: Encouraging organic knowledge transfer

    Imagine coworking sessions as the intertwined roots of plants in a vibrant garden. Just as these roots share nutrients and stabilize each other, coworking sessions present a unique opportunity for senior and junior employees to share knowledge and support each other. This shared workspace provides a fertile ground for collaboration, where ideas can germinate, blossom and bear the fruit of innovation.

    In-person coworking sessions, in particular, are akin to the roots that delve deep into the soil, drawing essential nutrients and establishing a robust foundation. These sessions offer the invaluable advantage of immediate feedback, allowing for real-time adjustments and refinements. The energy and spontaneity in these physical spaces spark creativity, much like the invigorating feel of the earth between a gardener’s fingers.

    Virtual coworking sessions, on the other hand, are comparable to the surface roots that adapt to their environment, spreading out to absorb rainwater and sunlight. They offer the flexibility of connecting from anywhere, making them an excellent solution for remote work scenarios. These sessions remove geographical boundaries, enabling the exchange of diverse perspectives, much like the rain and sun that nurture a garden’s growth. Unlike the one-on-one or group sessions, I haven’t observed the need for trust-building through initial in-person coworking, making this activity an especially flexible tool for teams with some members who are fully remote.

    What makes coworking sessions a win-win solution is the reduction of burden on senior employees. By encouraging shared workspaces, both physical and virtual, senior staff members can impart their wisdom and experience without overextending themselves. It’s much like the way mature plants support the growth of younger ones in a garden without depleting their own resources. Ultimately, coworking sessions cultivate a culture of mutual learning and teamwork, laying the foundation for a thriving, resilient organization.

    Related: CEOs Are Blaming The Need For Mentorship to Justify The Forced Return of All Employees. Reality Calls For a Very Different Approach.

    Goal-oriented mentoring: Ensuring a fruitful harvest

    To maximize the yield of our metaphorical garden, we must set clear goals and incentives for the mentoring program. This approach ensures that all parties are fully engaged and that the program is effective in fostering employee growth.

    Just as a gardener regularly prunes and assesses their plants’ health, organizations must implement evaluations to monitor the progress and success of their mentoring initiatives. This process enables continuous improvement and helps your garden – or your organization – to flourish.

    Again, the findings by Charter and Qualtrics supported these lessons from my work with clients. According to the study, “Mentors in successful relationships are more likely to have this mentorship supported through compensation (27%, vs. 17% for less successful mentors), recognition in performance reviews (42% vs. 33%), and being provided time by their employer to mentor (39% vs. 33%).”

    Embrace structured mentoring for a thriving organization

    As the flexible work revolution continues to gain momentum, organizations must recognize the importance of structured mentoring programs. By incorporating a diverse range of mentoring activities, such as individual lunch sessions, virtual meetings, group sessions, coworking initiatives, goal-oriented mentoring, and regular evaluations, your organization can continue to thrive. It’s like ensuring your garden has the right balance of sun, water, soil and care — it’s not just about planting the seeds, it’s about nurturing them to full bloom.

    Now, dear reader, it’s your turn to take action. Consider your organization’s current mentoring practices. Are they like a well-tended garden, ripe with the fruits of shared wisdom and mutual growth resulting from a structured mentoring program fit for flexible work? Or are they more like a plot of land full of random weeds resulting from mentoring the natural way — by osmosis? If you let nature take over, you deserve the outcome.

    As the flexible work landscape continues to evolve, remember that the roots of success lie in a robust mentoring program. Embrace this opportunity and watch your organization bloom. After all, a garden full of thriving plants is much more satisfying and beautiful than a barren field. Nurture your employees like a diligent gardener, and you’ll reap the rewards of a vibrant, successful flexible organization.

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    Gleb Tsipursky

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  • Want to Successfully Start a Business? Start by Getting Off TikTok | Entrepreneur

    Want to Successfully Start a Business? Start by Getting Off TikTok | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    There’s nothing I’m more tired of than 19-year-olds on TikTok selling entrepreneurial advice. Well, there might be one thing: the fact that people listen to it.

    These content creators sell the perception that business is easy; all you have to do is buy a template and plug and play. They promise to teach you how to become rich on the stock market if you’ll only pay them $199/month to do it. But many of the creators giving this advice are not successful CEOs. They’re misleading at best and blatantly dishonest at worst. Unfortunately, an alarming amount of people in our society believe that everything they hear on the Internet is true. But we need to remember that Google is not a replacement for mentorship.

    At the end of the day, you have to find somebody who’s been successful and somebody who has failed — and then learn from both of them. You can’t get that from a 30-second TikTok video.

    What is social media good for?

    Social media is content. Entrepreneurs can never absorb enough content, so long as it’s relevant and reputable. I don’t use TikTok for business advice; I use it to follow my favorite chefs and keep a pulse on what my kids are up to.

    It’s OK to be an entrepreneur or a coach and try to use social media to sell your product.

    But it becomes a problem when people sell a dream that’s not reality. It’s deceitful. And unfortunately, social media makes it pretty easy to be dishonest. In the same way, you can apply a filter to a photo, you can filter reality. And this leads to being catfished on the business side of things. A person having 1.4 million followers on social media doesn’t make them a good CEO — it makes them a good content creator. You have to vet and verify to establish the first part.

    Related: Successful Entrepreneurs Don’t Follow Mainstream Money Advice, And You Shouldn’t Either

    If not TikTok, then who?

    The best advice I can give to someone looking for startup advice is to jump on LinkedIn, reach out to local business professionals who have been successful, and try to meet with them face-to-face. It’s much easier vetting someone’s credibility when they have to look you directly in the eye. But not everyone is who they say they are — LinkedIn doesn’t fact check resumès. Make sure you research by searching the individual’s online footprint and contacting people in their network to verify their reputation. If their online presence is hard to find, that’s a pretty big red flag.

    When seeking a mentor, look for gray hairs. It’s not just because we have more experience; it’s because we likely have more time on our hands. A 31-year-old executive running the same number of companies I do probably has a lot less time; I’m a bit further down the road, so I’ve been able to figure this puzzle out. People in my stage of life are also beginning to think about building a legacy and doing something meaningful with all the knowledge they’ve acquired. It’s wise to tap into that.

    But just as it’s important to seek advice from the right professionals, it’s also important to diversify your perspective. Opinions and recommendations from mentors both inside and outside your industry are critical in widening your lens and creating an all-inclusive view. When you go to these mentors for advice, make decisions that make sense — don’t take shots in the dark by asking generalized questions to people outside your industry. When you look for an outside opinion, choose someone with experience with a problem you immediately need to solve. Maybe they have the financial experience you don’t have or have found innovative solutions to an important tech problem.

    This practice also indirectly introduces you to people who may be able to support you down the road. The person you connect with may have connections to bankers, business insurance reps, etc. Receiving mentorship is more than learning how to run a business; it’s about forming those necessary connections your business will need to survive. Numerous unexpected fires will inevitably pop up that you probably haven’t thought about, and this is how you plan for the unplanned.

    Related: Elon Musk, Richard Branson & Jeff Bezos’ Best Advice for Ensuring Your Startup Doesn’t Fail

    What to expect and how to get there

    Experienced entrepreneurs will tell you the truth: being a CEO is not a comfortable 9-5. It’s an 8-8, and people will have problems at 3 am. Every successful CEO will probably tell you they have 30 sleepless nights a year. If you’re actually invested in your business, that is what it takes. If you don’t work hard, work doesn’t get done. And if you want your team to work hard, you must show up alongside them and lead by example.

    When you approach these potential mentors, there are a few things to keep in mind if you actually want to get their ear. The first is to do your damn research. As an investor, I shouldn’t receive a copy/paste email from you. I want to know why you think I’m the person you need to talk to. Why do you know who I am? What do you think I have to offer you? I’ve received several requests from hopeful entrepreneurs offering to meet me in person and buy me a cocktail, and because they’ve come across as pleasant human beings who have done their homework, I’ve taken them up on it.

    Related: 5 Types of People Who Can Help With Small Business Mentoring

    You can’t replace face-to-face.

    I’m not against online courses, in-person seminars, or other exercises in business education. But nothing can replace face-to-face. It gives you a chance to ask tough questions, be vulnerable and experience their vulnerability in return. The result is a much more valuable learning experience.

    I won’t say everything business-related you find on social media is garbage; it’s not. But the opportunity to look someone in the eye and see their hard-won successes (and failures) is priceless. Take the extra time to find “real” human beings to connect with. You won’t regret it.

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    Shannon Scott

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  • How to Build a Strong Network of Mentors | Entrepreneur

    How to Build a Strong Network of Mentors | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The old saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is an incredibly vague statement. The assumption behind this statement is that your professional network has the opportunity to supercharge your career prospects, and it’s well-documented that who you choose to spend your time with can ultimately influence and define how successful or unsuccessful you will be in achieving your outcomes. However, I personally found it difficult to establish a process around how to engage with folks in my network, specifically those I define as my mentors.

    Mentors can play just as important of a role in our personal and professional development; however, they’re different from therapists, executive coaches or startup advisors because there isn’t necessarily a transactional element to your relationship, which removes any obligations or expectations around how to engage with these individuals.

    Here are a few observations I’ve made as I established my own network of mentors, as well as reflections on how I can give back to be a stronger mentor to others.

    Related: 5 Famous Business Leaders on the Power of Mentorship

    Build the scaffolding

    Defining your personal values will set the foundation, or the mentorship scaffolding, for any relationships you build. To get to the root of these values, I decided to reflect on two meta questions before I started seeking out mentors.

    1. What is my ultimate purpose?

    2. What outcome(s) am I striving for in my personal and professional life?

    Here’s what I wrote down: “To build and live a life that is fun, fulfilling, and meaningful for my family, myself, and those I love most.” Relationships are at the core of my ultimate purpose, and balance across personal and professional aspects of my life is critical to living out that purpose. Upon drafting the purpose statement, I listed out each of the main categories that I’ve elected to prioritize and put energy into that align with that purpose. For me, those categories are: professional, financial, personal development, family, friends, health and spirituality.

    Each of those categories has specific time-based outcomes that I’m striving for, which often change and evolve as I learn and grow. However, with that scaffolding in place, you have the foundation to find individuals who align with your personal values statement and the categories you want to improve upon.

    Related: 7 Ways to Build a Powerful Network

    Create a process

    I’m a firm believer that you can learn from anyone; However, I’m also of the mind that you should strive to create structure and focus on who you’re connecting with and whether they align with your purpose statement and the categories you’ve defined above.

    I’ve thought about the structure of my mentorship network in three layers

    1. Ballers: The people I aspire to be one day

    2. Ballers in waiting: The people I aspire to be that I’m currently working for

    3. Ballers in training: The people I respect and admire that I’m working with.

    In total, that could be as many as 21 different people when you factor this across three layers and seven different categories of focus. Twenty-one people is a lot of individuals to build meaningful relationships with! So, in order to make my process more sustainable, I’ve worked to consolidate certain categories under individual mentors where that person can support my development across multiple domains.

    This group is fluid as my outcomes and priorities change, as well as which categories of my life I’m spending more or less time focused on. I proactively seek to have three individuals of each category that I connect with on a quarterly basis.

    If I’m unable to connect with any of these individuals over the course of the year, I ensure that there’s at least one annual touchpoint with everyone that I’ve established a relationship with. For me, this is an annual holiday newsletter where I share an update on progress against my outcomes over the year. This has also served as a great way to help initiate conversations in areas where I may need support, almost like an annual investor update, without the expectation that I need to cut them a fat check or send shareholder paperwork!

    Related: 4 Rules to Keep in Mind When Looking for a Mentor

    Hold yourself accountable

    Once you’ve committed to building the scaffolding and initiating these relationships across various categories of your personal and professional life, it really helps to create systems of accountability for yourself as a mentee AND mentor.

    As a mentee, I highly recommend joining or creating a mastermind with the folks in your mentor network of influence (i.e., founders, entrepreneurs, parents). During my time building my startup, I joined a mastermind with four other entrepreneurs I respected (a.k.a. Ballers in training). As part of the mastermind, we created an accountability structure where members needed to attend at least three out of four meetings each month. If a member missed more than one meeting for two consecutive months, they were replaced in the mastermind.

    As a mentor, I believe focus is critical. I previously signed up for almost six different startup mentorship networks and was providing value in absolutely NONE of them. I’ve made it a priority to pick ONE community of founders that I can support in what I’ve learned to give back to mentors. Communities like Chief, Hampton and Pavilion offer new ways of building new relationships across cohorts of like-minded, ambitious professionals.

    Additionally, I block off three hours on Friday afternoons when mentees from that community can book time with me to talk about their business challenges. Most importantly, I don’t have strings attached to these Friday meetings. I’m not expecting founder equity or charging for this time as a startup advisor or consultant.

    In summary, I’m grateful for the entrepreneurs, coaches, therapists, advisors and parents that have offered to spend their time with me, as well as the individuals who have trusted me with theirs. I hope that these principles are as useful for you as they were for me. And if they’re not, well, then I clearly need a mentor for mentorship frameworks. So, if you know of anyone, hit me up!

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    Justin Vandehey

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  • Ask Co-Founder of Netflix Marc Randolph Anything: How to Watch | Entrepreneur

    Ask Co-Founder of Netflix Marc Randolph Anything: How to Watch | Entrepreneur

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    Marc Randolph, the co-founder of Netflix, joins us for another episode of Ask Marc, a live Q&A series about starting and growing your business. The event will begin on Tuesday, March 28th at 3:00 PM ET, streaming on our YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter channels.

    Where can I watch Ask Marc?

    Watch and stream: YouTube, LinkedIn & Twitter

    You can watch on your phone, tablet or computer. Ask Marc will be shown in its entirety on YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter

    What time does Ask Marc start?

    Date: March 28th

    Time: 3:00 PM ET

    The episode kicks off at 3:00pm ET.

    Why should I watch Ask Marc?

    Get free business advice directly from the co-founder of Netflix, Marc Randolph. Marc loves helping founders and small business owners, and this your free opportunity to ask him any of your questions about topics like:

    • Starting a business
    • Growing a business
    • Raising money
    • Building marketing campaigns
    • Best practices
    • Anything you want to know!

    Watch Now >>

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    Entrepreneur Staff

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  • How a Business Coach Can Make You Successful | Entrepreneur

    How a Business Coach Can Make You Successful | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    One of the best pieces of advice I can give to fellow entrepreneurs is to get a business coach. I should know; I’ve had the same one for 12 years. He’s helped me through some of the stickiest challenges I’ve ever faced in my business, and I credit much of my success to his support. Beyond helping me through the tough times, he’s also helped me to identify and lean into my strengths. Here’s how a good business coach should help you do the same.

    They speak the truth

    When you’re an entrepreneur, especially one who gains a lot of traction quickly, you’ll find yourself surrounded by many “yes people.” They’re usually well-intentioned, eager to please you and say the right thing so you’ll view them positively. Often, they’re also your employees, and the power of a paycheck means they won’t want to risk offending or irritating you. This makes sense, and these people shouldn’t be blamed for their staunchly supportive behavior.

    Even so, you’ll sink if these folks are the only ones in your circle. You also need someone who will give their honest opinion, no matter how you’ll receive it. This is a big reason why I strongly recommend your business coach has no agenda or financial ties to your business. They should have a similar level of expertise as you, but their only motivation is to help you become the best version of yourself, so you and your company succeed.

    This honesty means your coach will also tell you the truth about your strengths. Maybe you think you excel at sales, but they’ve seen that you’re far better suited to lead strategically. If you want your skills to be in a particular area, it might be uncomfortable to have your coach tell you they lie elsewhere. But hear them out. Sometimes it takes someone with expertise and an outsider’s perspective to make sure you’re in the role where you’ll contribute the most.

    Related: 10 Reasons Why You Need a Business Coach

    They challenge you to more

    Good business coaches advise you on leadership and strategy, but great coaches also tackle the relational and psychological aspects of being a business owner. They help you discover your fears, insecurities, character flaws, relationship mistakes and more. All of these aspects will affect the business, whether you face them head-on or not.

    As you work through these vulnerabilities, you’ll also encounter your strengths. For example, maybe your coach helps you discover that you tend to get defensive when someone comes to you with a concern. Instead of listening and considering the person’s point of view, you start defending your own, often vehemently.

    While this habit is something to work on to create healthier internal relationships, it also shines a light on one of your strengths: your passion and whole-hearted belief in yourself and your decisions. Your business coach can work with this.

    They can help you smooth over your communication challenges while helping you harness your decisiveness and assertiveness in more positive, productive ways. Since coaches should challenge you to be your best version of yourself, they need to understand your assets and liabilities.

    Related: If You Haven’t Hired a Business Coach, You’re Holding Yourself Back

    They hold you accountable

    Finally, business coaches worth their salt will not just dispense advice and go on their merry way. They’ll also share their insights, discuss them with you, collaborate on the next steps and be there to see them through. If you fail, they’re standing by to analyze why and how to avoid doing the same the next time. If you succeed, they’re waiting in the wings to evaluate why and how to achieve such an outcome again. A coach is with you through thick and thin, championing you while exploring how you can optimize your own growth and your companies.

    This also means they’ll call you out when you don’t hold up your end of the bargain. Maybe your coach helped you discover that you excel in creating financial projections and setting corresponding budgets. But you haven’t followed through on these things because you got busy, and they’re among your more tedious tasks. You can trust that your coach will hold you to your word, making sure you double down on your strengths to make the biggest impact you can.

    Getting a business coach with the right experience and intentions can be one of the best decisions you ever make as an entrepreneur. They’ll not only help guide you through the challenges of owning a business but also ensure you find your strengths and make the most of them.

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    Clate Mask

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  • 7 Ways to Write A Killer Bio

    7 Ways to Write A Killer Bio

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Do you ever feel like your personal brand story is missing something?

    Maybe you’ve noticed every other brand story presenting an immense challenge, but without a struggle to share of your own, you wonder if you need to amplify your life events to make your story more powerful.

    If you’ve already tried that, chances are it felt ungenuine. You’re not alone. When we see these stories of struggle everywhere, it can feel like our story should be like this, too. But that’s not the case at all.

    With a strong story, you can seamlessly resonate with your audience and get recognized as a thought leader. But the secret to making it more powerful lies in your authentic story… not a model that amplifies the challenges just to connect with your audience.

    Keep reading to discover the best way to adopt the favored hero’s journey model and write a killer bio that earns your audience’s love and trust — even if you don’t have a dramatic event or immense challenge to construct it around.

    Related: How to Create an Epic Brand Story Like Elon Musk’s and Henry Ford’s

    The hero’s journey trap

    You’ve seen the classic hero’s journey: the hero is called to adventure, discovers a guide, faces a challenge, experiences a profound transformation and returns to the world with newly discovered gifts or insights.

    While a great model, initially curated by author and professor Joseph Campbell, it does, however, present a trap. Over time, it has led people to believe that a story is not powerful or engaging unless it entails a grand challenge or adversity; such as a traumatic car accident, chronic illness, problematic divorce, falling into poverty; the list goes on.

    We see it all the time: those inspirational stories of overcoming hardship — and when true, can make a huge impact! But, the challenge lies within those who don’t carry a story of trauma or monumental challenge.

    They end up trying to make their story ‘more exciting’ by overdramatizing their life events, which can do more harm than good.

    The truth about creating a powerful brand story

    When planning a novel back in 2014, I found myself seeking to force an element of evil into my story. It just didn’t come naturally, yet I deemed it essential!

    I blindly reached out to one of my favorite fiction writers of all time: Richard Bach. To my surprise, he wrote back! I was beyond excited! Here was his advice:

    “Your stories can tell simply that your characters want to live a simple, gentle life. What stood between them and that life, and what did they do to find their way through the cliffs? How is your heroine different from others? What does she think and dream? What kind of wind blows her toward her dream, and what currents take her off course? How does she change, from Chapter 1 to Chapter 20?

    The evil forces, the bad guys, are for writers who write for what they think their readers want… You do not need evil to tell a lovely story.”

    Reflecting upon this, I recognized how it applies perfectly to personal brand stories. You see, you are the character, and the dramatized challenges are the evil forces we feel are necessary.

    So, despite the familiar storylines, your story does not need to entail this to be of influence.

    Want proof? Many thought leaders have significantly impacted with their unique gifts and message without focusing on their challenges. Such as:

    • Marie Forleo; who followed her desire to go against the conventional grain and chase more pleasure after recognizing she was unfulfilled;
    • Jay Shetty; who followed his inspiration after meeting a Monk and not resonating with the route his student friends were taking;
    • Preston Smiles; who followed his innate desire to share love and happiness, care for others, and do “big things.”

    Everyone faces challenges, but not all stories of transformation are filled with heavy, extraordinary events — and despite popular opinion, they don’t need to be. You can simply run with a different story; driven by desires, dreams, insights and realizations.

    Related: 30 Tips to Grow Your Audience and Stand Out on Instagram

    How to write a killer bio (without amplifying your life events)

    You can now unfold your most genuine personal brand story — without falling into the trap of feeling the need to dramatize everything. Follow the prompts below and infuse them into your story of transformation.

    1. What was your chapter 1?

    Reflect upon where it all began, who you were and what life looked like. This is the part that will resonate the most with your audience who knows this world well.

    2. What stood in between you and your dreams?

    Everyone faces problems and obstacles, big or small. What stopped you from creating your dream life at the beginning?

    3. What “wind” blew you toward your dream?

    Before seeking a new path, you were called to action, to adventure. What was the final straw that made you make a change? This could be a moment, a realization or simply your yearning desires.

    4. What helped you find your “way through the cliffs”?

    Who and what aided you get across the line? Identify mentors, guides, books or practices that helped you to give your audience insight — and connect the dots to you and your offer.

    5. What “currents” took you off course?”

    What challenges arose that could have stood in your way of success? For some, this is rock bottom; for others, it’s simply a more profound insight or realization that makes turning back no longer an option.

    6. How did you change due to your success “from chapter 1 to chapter 20”?

    Reflect on your transformation and highlight what changed for you, internally or externally. This transformation can happen over some time or in one precise moment.

    7. What gifts do you now have to share with the world?

    Look at where you are today and what you have ‘returned’ with: new insights, wisdom, gifts, experience or purpose. What are you here to do, who are you here to serve, and how?

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    Natasha Zo

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  • A Guide to Getting the Best Advice and Mentor for Your Business

    A Guide to Getting the Best Advice and Mentor for Your Business

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Entrepreneurs are, by their very nature, independent, driven and decisive individuals. They have to be — whether an investment opportunity is secured or slips away, whether a new product soars or slumps, whether, when all is said and done, a business venture is a success, it’s all on them.

    This much I know from experience. Having co-founded four disruptive companies and supported more than 10 others that I have invested in, I’ve endured the early mornings and late nights, shouldered the stress of big decisions and taken risks when the rewards were right. But there’s something else that I’ve always done — something I urge all founders to do — and that takes advice. Lots of it.

    Why? Because, despite our love of autonomy, entrepreneurs can’t have all of the answers all of the time, especially when they’re starting out. But you know who does? Those who’ve been down the same path before.

    Throughout my career, I’ve profited by picking the brains of business leaders at the top of their game. Their insight has added depth and diversity to my decision-making, and by learning from their experiences, I’ve been able to better navigate the challenges they once also confronted.

    Taking advice is a skill in itself, however — one that I’ve honed over the years. Here are the principles I follow when asking for help from those I look up to.

    Related: You Need a Mentor. Here’s Where to Find One for Free

    The importance of trust

    First and foremost, you must ensure you’re seeking guidance from the right sources. Seasoned business owners are always the best place to start — they’ve done the hard yards and know precisely the obstacles that entrepreneurs encounter.

    Trust is another crucial factor. Before tapping someone’s wisdom, you need to be sure they have your best interests at heart. That doesn’t mean individuals who are simply going to agree with you — “yes men” and “yes women” cause more problems than they solve — but people you can rely on to act in good faith.

    Trust is also key for creating a safe space where concepts and concerns can be shared without fear of embarrassment. Some of the best and boldest ideas are lost because inexperienced entrepreneurs lack the confidence to share them with those they admire.

    To remedy this, I suggest partnering with a designated mentor — someone who understands your vision and goals and is a constant source of support along your business journey. They might not be a formal member of the company, but if an individual feels personally invested in your success, their advice will be all the more impactful.

    Related: 7 Reasons You Need a Mentor for Entrepreneurial Success

    Don’t assume you know best

    So, you’ve built a trusting relationship with a business veteran who shares your aims and ambition. That’s a good place to be. Next, you need to make sure you’re asking for help in a way that’s conducive to success.

    Before reaching out, ask yourself this: What do I hope to achieve by requesting advice? If the answer is finding a solution to a genuine dilemma, then go right ahead. If, on the other hand, you’re merely seeking validation for a decision you’ve already resolved to make, neither party has much to gain.

    Relatedly, it’s no secret that entrepreneurs often value their own opinions — it’s one of the reasons we create our own companies. This sort of headstrong approach is almost always an advantage in business; unless it erodes your ability to take honest advice and acknowledge when someone else knows best. If a mentor recommends a change of direction and deep down you know it’s the right thing to do, don’t let pride stand in the way of good sense.

    Related: Why Entrepreneurs Need Mentors and How to Find Them

    Don’t be hesitant to push back

    Of course, blindly following every bit of guidance you get isn’t a good idea, no matter how well-intentioned it may be. If you have a strong suspicion that a piece of advice is wrong, don’t feel hesitant about pushing back and offering a counter-argument. That safe space we talked about earlier, it works both ways — those dispensing wisdom must be prepared to justify their positions under scrutiny.

    If, after a lengthy back-and-forth, there’s still doubt in your mind about a particular recommendation, sit with it a while and let things percolate. It’s also worth seeking a second opinion, assuming it’s from an equally dependable source. Doing so can be daunting — you don’t want to appear disloyal — but any business leader worth their salt knows prudence comes first. Besides, all advice should be treated as provisional; something that is discussed, digested, acted on and then revisited further down the line.

    Related: Asking For Help Is Good For You and Your Business

    A founder’s greatest asset

    In every entrepreneur’s DNA, there is a strong thread of resilience — and at the end of the day, there’s no replacement for your own judgment.

    But no solo business person, however motivated, can solve every challenge they come up against. That’s why having access to trusted and qualified advice is one of the greatest assets a founder can have.

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    David Newns

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  • Why All Leaders Need Executive Coaching, Not Just a Mentor

    Why All Leaders Need Executive Coaching, Not Just a Mentor

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    It’s not a secret; no one wants a boss. Over the last two decades, research has confirmed the No. 1 thing employees want from their manager is coaching. People want to work for someone who brings out the best in them. This was demonstrated at Google in 2008 and by Gallup in 2020.

    In today’s work environment, the desire for personal growth and fulfillment is even more important, but as employee demands from the workplace have changed, manager capabilities have not. As employees climb the ranks, they find their way into management without necessarily learning the skills and techniques required to lead.

    Many new managers turn to a trusted mentor such as a more experienced manager whom they wish to emulate. The problem is, being a mentor is voluntary and is based on lived experience.

    Unlike mentors, executive coaches are tasked with improving the performance and capabilities of their clients as their day job.

    There is a misconception that executive coaches are for managers who have done something wrong; they have poor communication or are not collaborative. While it’s true that an executive coach could support a difficult employee to become a better teammate, today, an executive coach is a proactive perk that can guide managers along their desired career path.

    Here are six ways an executive coach can level up your organization.

    Related: Why Does Coaching Matter for Entrepreneurs?

    1. Give the people what they want

    Working for a great mentor is up to chance, but having an executive coach is a guaranteed return. Executive coaches ensure that your managers’ desires for growth and fulfillment are being met, keeping them satisfied and engaged at work. It’s an investment in time and effort that will manifest through their greater responsibilities, helping them grow and evolve from their own profound ability. Coaches hold employees accountable and help them reach their desired potential.

    2. Get leaders out of their own heads

    A person at any level can get lost in the weeds, but when a leader loses sight of the big picture, it quickly demotivates a team. When leaders work with coaches, it gives them an opportunity to talk through their challenges with an outsider. In having higher-level conversations, coaches guide leaders toward simplicity, lifting them out of the fog.

    Coaches don’t have the answers. They ask the right questions to evoke awareness and help managers see their challenges with new eyes. With clarity of purpose, leaders can empower their teams to achieve their goals. Employees will be united by a shared vision, reducing spin and increasing efficiency.

    3. Uncover the truth

    The more senior a leader becomes, the more at risk they are of losing touch with reality. Teams become less likely to challenge ideas and feedback becomes limited. An executive coach is an unbiased third party who won’t tiptoe around the truth. Of course, executive coaches are also highly trained in giving feedback and having difficult conversations, and it’s their job to do so.

    Keeping leaders honest is crucial for creating a positive workplace culture and getting the best performance out of people.

    Related: How to Set Goals With an Executive Coach to Unlock All of Your Potential

    4. Steady the waters

    With mass layoff announcements on linkedin appearing by the day, CEOs are turning over and stepping down before they get a chance to make a real impact. The C-suite are the most important recipients of executive coaching as their attitudes, efforts, and vision affect the outcomes of the entire organization. Even the great Steve Jobs, Sergey Brin and Larry Page turned to trillion-dollar coach Bill Campbell to shape their leadership style and drive effectiveness. Often acknowledged as the most isolating role in business, CEOs need a coach to get out of their own echo chamber and help them steer the ship.

    5. Reduce churn

    People will stay at a job when they are learning and feel valued. An executive coach accomplishes both by challenging them, acting as a means to self-improvement and supporting career growth.

    You might be thinking, why would I invest if they’re just going to leave? First, doing this makes them less likely to leave but if they exit, Henry Ford said, “The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and having them stay.”

    Related: Improve Employee Retention By Taking a People-First Approach

    6. Create a cycle of improvement

    Giving managers the opportunity to be coached sends a message that leadership is invested in making more leaders. It gives something back to the much-deserving managers who give their time and energy to the good of the business. Working with a coach can make the manager a coach themselves, which we know is the most valuable trait a leader can possess.

    With improved ability, clarity, willingness and motivation, trained managers create a cycle of improvement, raising up and training up the next generation of leaders rather than simply promoting them.

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    Liliana Pertenava

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  • New Research Shows How Mentors Support the Career Development of Canadian Youth Experiencing a Disability

    New Research Shows How Mentors Support the Career Development of Canadian Youth Experiencing a Disability

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    Press Release
    –

    Aug 23, 2022


    TORONTO, August 23, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Today, Mentor Canada and the Canadian Association for Supported Employment (CASE) jointly released key findings from the Mapping the Mentoring Gap research initiative. The findings show that Canadian youth experiencing disabilities who had access to a formal or informal mentor while growing up reported better mental health, employment, and educational outcomes compared to those who did not have a mentor.

    “Young adults experiencing a disability who had access to mentoring during their teen years reported that mentors exerted a significant influence on their self-confidence, self-esteem, and sense of hopefulness,” says Tracy Luca-Huger, Interim Executive Director at Mentor Canada. She adds that “mentors play an important role in supporting young people’s transition to adulthood. Nearly half of respondents experiencing a disability who were mentored reported that their most meaningful mentor shaped their career aspirations. Nearly one-third reported that their mentor helped them get their first job.”

    However, approximately 70% of survey respondents who experience disabilities said they could remember a time during their childhood or adolescence when they would have wanted a mentor but did not have access to one. “Respondents with a disability were nearly three times more likely to report unmet needs in terms of accessing mentoring opportunities than respondents who do not have a disability,” stated Véronique Church-Duplessis, Director of Research and Evaluation at Mentor Canada.

    Joanna Goode, Executive Director of CASE, added that “far too many young people experiencing disabilities face barriers to accessing mentors when they want them the most.” CASE coordinates a Government of Canada-funded national mentorship program for youth and other individuals who experience disabilities. Goode emphasizes that “the research findings line up with what participants are telling us in the career development experiences we facilitate”.

    By using resources and experiences such as those provided by Mentor Canada and CASE, employers, schools, communities, mentoring programs, and decision-makers can work together to improve access to mentoring opportunities for young people experiencing disabilities. 

    Read The Mentoring Effect: Youth Experiencing Disabilities to learn more about how mentoring supports young people’s well-being and career pathways and to find out how to get involved. 

    About Mentor Canada
    Mentor Canada broadens and deepens access to quality mentoring for youth in Canada through capacity building, tools and resources, research, network building, and knowledge exchange. Mentor Canada surveyed 2,838 young adults aged 18-30 about their mentoring experiences growing up. Learn more about Mentor Canada and our research at MentoringCanada.ca

    About the Canadian Association for Supported Employment  
    The Canadian Association for Supported Employment (CASE) is a national association of community-based service providers and stakeholders working towards employment inclusion of people experiencing disabilities. CASE coordinates — in collaboration with a network of supported employment service providers — MentorAbility Canada, a Government of Canada-funded national supported employment initiative that facilitates unique, short-term mentoring opportunities between employers and people experiencing a disability. Learn more about CASE and MentorAbility Canada at SupportedEmployment.ca.

    For additional information, please contact:
    Véronique Church-Duplessis, Director of Research and Evaluation — Mentor Canada, 1-800-263-9133 ext. 62, veronique.church-duplessis@mentoringcanada.ca

    Mary Beshai, Director of MentorAbility Canada — Canadian Association for Supported Employment, 1-800-684-5628 ext. 702, mary@supportedemployment.ca

    Source: Mentor Canada

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