If you think about it logically, using the experience of others to build your own career is actually a spark of genius.
Surely it makes sense to avoid mistakes that others have made and fire off from the top of their shoulders?
Isaac Newton coined the phrase “Standing on the shoulders of giants”.
The interesting thing is that never before have there been so many successful people who have been willing to share the secrets of their own making.
Go into any book store and just watch where people are congregating – usually around the self-help business section and the biographies of the likes of Richard Branson, Robert Kiyosaki and Jack Welsh.
This is good news for all of us – there are many brilliant people out there who have written down their formula for success. You only have to google Amazon to find a plethora of excellent books on the subject.
The thing is that people still struggle to find their own pathway to success. Why is this happening when there is just so much great guidance available?
The hustle and bustle of modern day living makes it almost impossible to keep up with everything. Unless you have someone to hold you accountable it is nigh impossible to do the right things. Its much easier to do things right.
So how do you get to make the difference in order achieve those outstanding results that you have in mind for yourself (no matter how vague!)?
One of the most effective ways is to find yourself a good coach or mentor.
The thing is what should you choose – the coach or mentor?
What’s the difference?
In essence a coach walks along side you (encouraging and challenging you) and a mentor walks in front (points you in the right direction and advises). Put another way, a coach holds you accountable whilst a mentor tells you what you should do.
Most of you would usually have a mentor of sort in the work place. It might be a boss or even a fellow colleague who is more experienced than you. – he knows the pitfalls. He can guide you through an otherwise unpredictable mine field. This allows you to get there much quicker simply because you will more than likely be able to avoid the setbacks that usually occur in that particular industry. It’s like being able to see around a corner. If you wanted mentoring on how to run a doctors practice you would be wise to ask a doctor – you wouldn’t ask a farmer.
A coach on the other hand could work with both the doctor and the farmer.
Why is this?
The coaching process is substantially more effective.
Here how it works:
- A good coach helps you find your true passion. As humans, we operate at our best when we follow our passion.
- He will help you explore and find own unique pathway.
- Working together he will help you come up with your own solutions. He does this by asking searching (sometimes unpleasant) questions
- Together you will set up a plan to achieve the results that you want.
- When obstacles appear he will shows you ways to break through. These might include relationship issues, personal despondency or loss of clarity.
- And probably the most important – he will hold you accountable.
Should a coach be an expert in your business? In rugby for example the best players seldom become coaches. Similarly in business, the best seldom become coaches. Coaching is a unique and intuitive skill.
The difference between a coach and mentor?
Get a coach who is a bit of each – experience mixed in with an evoking accountability strategy!
Makes sense?