Every business owner can learn from others, especially from someone who’s an experienced entrepreneur with knowledge and feedback to share. But when you find a true business mentor, you don’t want to waste their time. After all, they’re busy people (and so are you).
It’s a good idea to start by going over your career goals together. Doing this will help your mentor understand where you want to go and will also help you ask more engaging, focused questions from the beginning.
With that in mind, here are five questions to ask a business mentor:
- How can I best reach my goals?
As noted before, knowing and expressing your goals is important because this can help guide your discussions and help you and your mentor put together a plan of action for the future. Asking this question shows that you want to make the best choices and create a clear strategy for success. - What could I be doing better?
Mentors can help you with specific issues or problems you’re facing, but they’re really there to help you develop throughout your career. Take a big-picture view and consider what changes would have long-term benefits with questions like, ‘What should I be doing differently?’ or ‘How could I work smarter?’ - What mistakes should I avoid?
Your mentor has made mistakes. If they’re willing to share those mistakes openly and help you avoid potential problems, you’ve found a true ally who will genuinely want to help you. Asking this question may also lead to a discussion that helps you understand how your mentor solves and recognises potential problems. - What should I NOT be doing?
In business, focus is important. If you share your goals and outline how you’re spending your days, your mentor will probably see areas where you’re wasting time and energy. He or she can help find things you can ignore, outsource, or cut out altogether in order to become as efficient and productive as possible. - What can I do to help you?
Your relationship with a mentor should be just that – a relationship. It’s not all about you. Ask how you can help them or if they have questions for you. Maybe you have a skill, a connection or a resource that would help them in their journey!
Need a financial mentor for your business? Contact the team at Accru today.
