Which is better a Self-Help Book or a Business Mentor?

26th Feb , 2016

So which do you really need a self-help book or a Business Mentor?

I suppose that self-help books are not interactive whereas a well-matched Business Mentor is. Furthermore self-help books do not seek to understand your specific journey, skills, experience, abilities, talents and ambitions.  They cannot take into account that your business environment can change dramatically- markets, customers, operations, your leadership role and responsibilities, and that your business and social context can shift and may be very difficult to navigate.

So one of our International Business Mentors who understands you, your skills and your business context and issues, can help you discover and unleash the best of who you are and support you at critical times along your business journey – now that is a lot more than any book can provide.

However, the self-help books do have their place, as a start point, to help you reflect and think about your direction and framework, but these are qualitatively different to the in-depth assistance you can receive from one of our well-matched International Business Mentors.

Business Mentoring is valuable to you because as you progress in business the challenges you face become more difficult and the impact of your decisions on yourself, your family, your business, and your employees become all the greater. Navigating business with confidence can be greatly assisted when you get confidential feedback from a trusted source and bounce ideas off of your International Business Mentor. You will value your confidential Business Mentor and have deep discussions with a confident whose only thought is what’s in your best interest, and knows you well enough to help you get more out of yourself.

You should not just wait around for someone to offer up his or her time to mentor you. You should take a close look at getting your own International Business Mentor. Once you discuss your situation and issues with your International Business Mentor you can begin to solve issues, define future success, sort out and prioritize your major challenges, and define where your future strategic business success lies. Your Business Mentor will engage you, add value to your growth and help you consider the best way to move forward.

You, as a mentee, will appreciate that where you are in your business life is a complex journey.  With the help of a Business Mentor, navigating this journey becomes much easier.  Your Business Mentor has a genuine interest in the outcome of your business life.

At International Business Mentors we can match you specifically with one of our well-vetted and highly experienced Business Mentors.  Once you have met with your confidential and well-matched Business Mentor you will find value right away.  And you will begin to develop within a strong supportive relationship.

Your Business Mentor will be focused on what’s best for you and your business.  And a focus is given to your current role and future goals – identify potential risks, obstacles and opportunities and how to deal with these along the way.

Your Business Mentor will help you consider the external realities of your own and the business’s situation from an independent viewpoint- for example, you may be running the company, or a large division within one, and you may have external investors or shareholders. You may be trying to grow the business, sell it, fix it operationally, advance within the company or other challenges. Your Business Mentor will help you understand the situations you find yourself in and discuss how to reach your goals. Your Business Mentor can help you steer a course and build your confidence so that you can better strive towards where you want to be.

Ultimately, the goal of a successful Business Mentoring relationship is that you progress personally, with personal support to a situation that brings greater personal and business success. Part of that success will be discovering yourself and developing a better understanding of your business. The objectives of a good International Business Mentor is not to only to help you make improvements in your business successfully, but to help you develop so that you derive greater value in your business life.

David Cartney

Melbourne, Australia