As I've trained one of my newer employees, brand new out of high school, it reminded me of when I was in that position.
I started working when I was 16 years old. I worked as an office / shop assistant and had no experience and little to offer. My first job consisted of me cleaning the shop, filing papers, just trying to make myself useful to the company.
I was eager to learn, and I see the same in this new employee.
This is me... helping move shops to a new location back in 2011... talk about a throw back!
I've always struggled a bit with patience (like most twenty something year olds do), but having someone there that reminded me of where I started, made me think back to how patient my first mentor was with me.
She was the company accountant and much of what she taught me still sticks with me today 11 years later.
I'd ask a million questions, be a constant interruption, and I'm sure her job could have been easier if there was someone there that knew what they were doing.
She was patient and took the time to teach me, and to explain things about the job and life in general.
She taught me basics about the stock market, helped me open up my first brokerage account, taught me about the different types of retirement accounts, and even got me into tea drinking (weird, I know).
This is just one of my many mentors that I've had over the years. I didn't realize it at the time, but looking back now... I realize how lucky I was to have people who would teach me and guide me the way that she did.
Now that I'm in a position where I have to train and hire employees, I find myself more and more... thinking back to the mentors that taught me along the way and how I can use some of what they taught me to help guide my employees along the way.
A mentor is someone that has the experiences and foresight to provide you with guidance to become better at what you are trying to pursue. You can have a mentor for anything.. your job, skateboarding, video games… anything!
A mentor can come in many shapes and forms. I’ve had many great mentors, ranging from friends at the local skateparks, to retired accountants, business consultants, and fellow entrepreneurs.
A mentor is like having cheat codes to a video game… except in life!
The older I’ve gotten the more I’ve truly realized how blessed I am to have come across these people. It always sounds cliche, when someone says "If it weren't for (insert person), I wouldn't be where I am today", but in many ways I feel its true about the mentors that have guided me over the years.
Often times a mentor has experienced periods of their life similar to yours, or has a skillset that you hope to acquire. They can often see your situation from a perspective you have not yet gotten around to yet.
They’ve passed the level of the video game that you might be having trouble getting past, and sometimes you'll find they can give you tips and tricks to make it easier on you.
A mentor isn't meant to just make your life easier, but they are are there to help provide you with guidance.
They say things are always clearer in hindsight, and a mentor is like someone who can guide you from the future. As long as you’re receptive enough to heed to the advice… it can often times help you bypass “learning the hard way”.
Someone that you can learn from can be a mentor in some capacity. Oftentimes, a mentor has expertise in the area that you are trying to learn about. It can be someone more experienced than you at work. It could be someone that is an expert hiker. Typically a mentor is someone more experienced than you at something.
It is important to note that not everyone is a mentor, or a good one at that. It's important to be mindful of the people you follow, and the people that you surround yourself with. I've ran into situations like this, and its always important to be vigilant.
Building trust and a relationship with your mentor is important. It's similar to a friendship, and something that grows and evolves over time.
I’ve learned many great lessons from my mentors. Without going into too much detail, there are lots of little things that I still remember to this day..
I use a calculator with my left hand, and love using spreadsheets.
Whenever I take on something new I try to “soak it up like a sponge”.
I tell myself that “attitude is everything”.
I tell myself that "it doesn't cost anything to be nice".
I try to remember to “always do what is right, even if it isn’t profitable”.
I ramble about the “pro-cess” at work, how it should be followed!
I still learn from some of my mentors everyday, in ways that change as time goes on.
If you are able to find yourself a mentor, you should!
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."
- Sir Isaac Newton