Leadership Speaker and Author Scott Love Reveals the Power of Effective Mentoring

Mentoring is the best way to build a business or build employee effectiveness.

(PRWEB) December 20, 2004 -- When I was a twenty-two year old Ensign in the early 1990s, I was third in command of a U S Navy minesweeper which was built during the Korean War. Our ship was the oldest and the smallest ship in the fleet, quite insignificant and nearly invisible compared to carriers and cruisers. Yet when the Iraqis invaded Kuwait and we started training for combat operations, our level of importance increased because of the critical nature of our mission: to sweep live mines. When a small minesweeper leads larger ships through mine-infested harbors, she becomes the most important vessel in the fleet. At that point in time, the little boat makes a big difference because she can navigate their safe passage by allowing them to follow in her wake.

In your organization and in your career, find and follow your minesweeper. Quit trying to reinvent the wheel. Follow in the wake of those who already have sailed ahead of you successfully.

The easiest way to succeed in business is to replicate a model of proven success. Organizations win because of deliberate intention and effort, not random chance. There are four separate core competencies that an organization must master to gain an edge: leadership, management, execution, and business development.

Ask yourself this question: What causes my most successful competitors to succeed when others are not? Duplicate the proven model of success. You can adopt models of those four core competencies from leading competitors or similar organizations and apply what worked for them to your own model of success. Principles of success are malleable and transcend all industries.

Challenge yourself by following through this with these action items this week:

1. On a sheet of paper, write out each of the four core competencies above into four separate columns.

2. Going over each core competency, ask yourself these questions and create a matrix, writing the answer in each column:

• "Where are my deficits in this area?"
• "What do I need to do to achieve and overcome these deficits?"
• "Right now, what are the biggest problems that I need to solve?"

4. Politely ask them for a meeting and explain why you wish to meet with them. Explore their model and consider duplicating it. Show them your list and ask for their advice. Ask them that if they were in your shoes, how would they solve those issues?

5. Continue the relationship and follow up with them; all along you should ask them if there is anything you can do for them. Don't just be a taker in this relationship, also be a giver.

What you are doing is cultivating a relationship with a mentor. Mentors are the key for success because they are giving you advice from the future. More than likely, they have already experienced the ups and downs that you experience. They can give you strategic guidance on how to navigate your way from the perspective of one who has already plotted the lattitude and longitude of the mines that exist ahead of you. The danger zones are already marked on the chart. Use their chart and not yours and youll avoid potentially catastrophic situations.

Some well-managed companies have formalized mentorship programs. When their junior managers join their company, they are assigned someone who is more experienced and already successful. This relationship benefits both parties, because in giving back to a mentee, you derive a personal benefit of knowing that you are contributing to the future success of a colleague and friend. Its truly a win/win for the organization, the person you are mentoring, and you. Just knowing you can offer safe passage through dangerous waters to others can make all the difference in your own significance.

Scott Love improves employee performance by showing managers how to put meaning back into work, how to build authentic employee motivation, and how to lead. He is a graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy, a professional speaker, author, and consultant. He can be reached at 828-225-7700 or at www.scottlove.com .

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