Genius on Tap: What Makes a Good Mentor?

“Get yourself a whole bunch of genius on tap, even if you only access it now and again.” – Quadruple Your IQ, Your Oxygen Mask First

I was talking to a colleague this morning in preparation for some work on my new book. We talked about a time when he had hit a really rough patch in his career and felt lost, with no idea what to do. He was transitioning from one business to another and there were a lot of decisions and challenges to work through.

I asked what had worked for him – or not – and he talked about a mentor who had helped him to work through everything.

Unfortunately, many of the supportive people closest to us many not be the best choice because they can get very excited and passionate and protective. It’s not right or wrong, but they are often too close to have perspective, and may not have the skill sets and experience and we need

Throughout my life, coaches and mentors have been most valuable when I’ve been in change and transition – either of my choosing or forced on me – and I’ve found their experience incredibly valuable. It’s been fascinating and eye-opening to see the number of external advisors, coaches and consultants that the high-performers I’ve worked with over 25 years use to help them with different situations.

What makes a good Mentor, coach, or advisor?

It’s a very personal question because it’s not necessarily someone who has a specific personality type, designation or training. When you have a massive opportunity to capitalize on, or are challenged by a massive obstacle, you need someone with the wisdom of  ‘been there, done that” to tap into, to give you the clarity you need to push ahead and to get what you want.

And, it’s someone who is a good match for you – someone who can work and communicate in a way that allows you to easily get what you need and to move ahead.

The Challenge

• What advisor, consultant or mentor would be most helpful to you right now?
• The Expert Scorecard on pages 155 and 156 in Quadruple Your IQ, Chapter 11 of my book can help you to evaluate your current advisors and identify one you may need.

And, if you need help finding someone to help you, let us know. We have a number of different people, with different experience, on our team and know many other experts around the world.