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There are loads of people out there that you could choose to be your mentor and your coach. So, how do you choose the right one that’ll compliment your work style and help you take your business to the next level?
Well, that’s the BILLION dollar question.
Most of us want to be better leaders, more productive, learn better business skills , make more money, be less stressed…the list goes on forever. And most of us know that we’re not going to get there alone. (we give up too easily when no one is holding us accountable, let’s be real.)
We need a guide and mentor to help us fulfill our potential – but we need the right one.
We’ve put together a list of the things you need to look out for. Read to the end to find out how you can be mentored and coached by an experienced and award winning event planner and business leader….
The 5 qualities you need to look out for when choosing your coach:
Experience
Don’t take advice from someone who’s just working off theory. You want a coach who has faced similar challenges to yours.
Have they been there, done that, and gotten the T-shirt?
Ideally they are in the same industry as you, because this will mean they can offer very specific advice and tips. Ask yourself: what is their reputation in the events industry? Have they talked at international conferences? Do they sit on any boards of industry organizations? You want someone who is respected by their peers and can demonstrate their expertise in the areas that you want help with.
How about their experience in mentoring and coaching? Have they trained people before? If they haven’t really shown any interest in helping people develop before, alarm bells should start ringing. Ding, ding, ding…not the right person for you.
Personality
You need to be able to click and connect with your coach. You won’t be motivated by someone with a communication style that clashes with yours.
Coaches are confident, but some are more reserved and calm, while others are a little more intense, outgoing and overly caffeinated! Find someone who suits you and who is approachable.
You want a coach you’d like to have coffee with
– not someone who will annoy you so much that you’ll be avoiding them.
Think about sense of humor, speaking style – are they engaging? A coach should be as easy to talk to as your best friend…but professional enough to challenge you on your BS. (#dropmic #BOOM)
Open and honest
If a coach only tells you about their successes in life, they’re not going to help you succeed. You need someone who is willing to share their failures, the times things went wrong and what they learned. No one is perfect and if they are, they’re not going to understand your fears and problems or how to overcome them.
Plus, you’ll probably start feeling down and alone if you can’t relate to your coach.
Genuinely interested in helping you
Have they mentored before? Coaching and helping others develop is a skill and improves over time so look for someone who has supported others in this way before.
Find out how committed your potential coach is. How available will they be? Will it just be a case of tuning into faceless PPTs and reading generic emails sent to 1000 other people? Or will there be an opportunity to truly engage 1-on-1? Interactive masterclasses, private coaching calls, the whole nine. Will your coach reply to questions you have via email?
A good coach will be interested in you and will genuinely care about your success. It’s all about YOU!
Motivational
This is an obvious one. Your coach has to be someone who makes you feel good and like you can overcome challenges. Do they come across as positive and like they can push you in the way you need? You want to leave interactions feeling better than before – not feeling overwhelmed, stressed or negative.
Do you want a chance to be mentored by Mary Baird-Wilcock CSEP? Try her FREE 9 day online course designed specifically for event planners!
Mary will be kickstarting The #9toSIMPLIFY challenge on Wednesday, September 27th. This is your chance to build a game plan for your business with the support of an expert coach!
