Success Advice
3 Things You Are Doing Wrong That Kills the Power of Mentorship
Success loves speed. One of the major reasons why people seek out personal or business mentors is because they want to avoid unnecessary newbie mistakes so they can pass through the arduous trenches as soon as possible.
That’s what law school taught me. That’s what the big corporate companies try to offer to the graduate trainees. That’s what the success and personal development industry advocated.
However, not all mentorship opportunities are created equal. Not all mentors are created equal. You’ve got to be extremely careful and selective when it comes to asking for help from certain people.
Here are 3 critical things you’re probably doing wrong that obliterated the power of mentorship:
1. You are not choosing the right mentor for yourself
Mentors can be virtual or they can be in person. They should be people who are 5-25 years ahead of you in a place you want to be. But the most important thing is that they not only are at a place you want to be, but they are the kind of person you aspire to be like.
It’s amazing when you have a mentor who makes 100 million dollars a year, but what if he does it in an illegal, inhumane, horrible way? What if he sells human organs and lethal biochemical weapons in underground black markets and is betraying his country? What if he has all the wealth the world has to offer but he is lying in his bed every day because he has terrible health and fitness condition?
You just can’t pick mentors based on results in a small area of their lives. You must also consider things outside his or her skills, experience or competence. Do they handle their personal problems in an intelligent, graceful, ethical way? Do they take responsibility of their challenges and find solutions to control the situations? Are they great with people in general and treat people with respect and dignity? Are they communicating their boundaries in a clear, positive, assertive way without violating others’ rights?
These are all important questions you need to ask yourself to see if your potential mentors are a great fit for you. You’re going absorb everything from them, so do your due diligence before the relationship begins.
“The best way a mentor can prepare another leader is to expose him or her to other great people.” – John C. Maxwell
2. You are overthinking and not implementing your mentor’s advice fast enough
Assuming you have the best mentor to assist you in your endeavor, do you know what’s the most frustrating thing to him or her? It’s when they give you their success-proven, wisdom-packed, million-dollar secret formula but you keep bugging them with stupid questions one after another and not taking action on what you’ve been told.
Your mentor is not paid to waste time listening to thousands of your excuses on why things might not work. He or she is neither there to do the hard work for you either. They are there to devise the best possible solution for your situation because they’ve been where you are, they’ve encountered similar problems as you, and they’ve been experienced enough to know the better way to handle your problem.
So stop over-questioning your mentor. Speed of implementation is the key to entrepreneurial success. So trust the process. Trust their advice. Go execute the suggestion. Report back for duty in case it fails. Get a new piece of strategy. And keep working together until you succeed.
3. You are not mentoring someone else
Oh, didn’t expect to help someone huh? Well, the true power of mentorship is never a one-way street. Knowledge and wisdom are supposed to be passed along.
One of the fastest ways to grow as a person is to share and teach what you’ve already learnt. If you have more knowledge in certain areas than others, it’s extremely valuable for your self-esteem and skill set if you’re concurrently mentoring people “behind” you.
So maybe you’re 20 and you’re great with computers, and there’s a 50-year old billion dollar company CEO who needs help in that area, you can mentor him right? Having people “behind” you to mentor, coach and teach is an excellent way to reinforce your ideas, lessons and teachings deeper into your subconscious mind. Over time, your skills will become even more automatic, reflective and natural.
Becoming a millionaire is tough. Pursuing your freedom is tough. Earning your ideal body is tough. Becoming great with women is tough. Whatever you do, it’s best to have a mentor to guide you through the success process.
When you realize it’s wiser not to reinvent the wheel, remember to use the 3 golden pieces of advice above to unleash the true power of mentorship.
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin
Have you found your success mentor yet? Which piece of advice are you going to implement today? Leave your thoughts below!
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
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12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
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