If your working week is one of competing deadlines and crunch times, finding the hours to be a mentor may seem like an opportunity for someone else to consider. Yet it has been proven many times over that the role of a mentor is not only personally rewarding but can also enrich and develop the professional life of the person doing the mentoring. While the idea of a mentor has become far more structured and commonplace in recent years, it is as ancient as Homer’s Odyssey, where the character of Mentor kickstarted the whole thing.
When considering becoming a mentor, ‘imposter syndrome’ is real — who am I to mentor anyone? What do I have to offer? I’ve made my share of mistakes. These sorts of responses are common; however a breadth and depth of work and life experience is what matters – and who better to advise on how to avoid the pitfalls than someone who has been there before.
Mentors come in many shapes and forms, and provide a key benefit to the up-and-coming entrepreneurs participating in the South Australian Business Chamber SAYES and Encore programs. Both of these programs provide support for developing a business plan. Over 11 months, participants attend workshops on business modelling, law, sales and customer service, marketing, PR, finance, leadership and entrepreneurial thinking, HR, and digital engagement. In support, each participant partners with a dedicated mentor. Our participants share that the mentor:
“Helps me to understand the purpose of my business”
“Is a great sounding board for ideas”
“Helped me articulate my thoughts”
“Defined my “why” and key milestones”
Current SAYES Mentor and Good Design Ambassador Paul Huxtable has told us there is more to being a mentor than just providing information. And he is convinced that as a the South Australian Business Chamber mentor, you will get a return on your investment of time.
Paul likes to challenge the participants, asking them the hard questions about where they are trying to take their business, particularly when developing their business plan.
“You’ve got to help the participant see themselves as a business owner. Participants sometimes expect business to be a linear process, but it is far from that. Using anecdotes and stories from across my career goes down well with the participants. If they are stuck on something, I ask them what are they avoiding?
“In today’s business world, it is vital that we think globally. I make sure my mentees are looking beyond South Australia. I use my design-led export experience to help them understand their markets and product or service opportunities.”
Here at the South Australian Business Chamber, we have an existing network of leading local business operators who have already said yes to being a mentor. They dedicate their time and knowledge to the next generation of business leaders and support our vision to create a stronger South Australia. We are currently looking for more mentors for our programs, so if you are interested in giving back, contact us today at www.business-sa.com/mentor
