I am so grateful to have been delivering the pillars to Effortless Leadership. The feedback from my clients and subscribers is that these pillars have helped them each month to focus on improving one element of their character and state. And by doing that, they have experienced better results and outcomes as leaders in business and also in their personal lives.
This month’s pillar is a simple one, which we inherently know. And it is based on the fact that growth is the cornerstone of effortless leadership. More importantly, to grow, whilst maintaining focus on the business results, and doing that while being hit with challenges and responsibilities of your role. That can become difficult, and that’s what great mentors are for. They are there to simply add another layer of experience and knowledge into your decision-making matrix. They help you to see what you cannot, and they help you to achieve new heights that you would not otherwise know could be reached. And they are there to provide support and encouragement when needed.
When I look back and think back to times I worked with great mentors, they were the source of clarity when I was drowning in the detail. They kept me focused on the overall big picture, the why, and they also helped me identify the best how and what. Their wisdom was always valuable and allowed me to nurture my strengths and eliminate my weaknesses. My mentors are there to pull me out of my comfort zone, help to expand my awareness, and show me what I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
If you are not working with a coach or mentor, then you will not be growing to your full potential. It’s like a skier behind a boat. When the boat stops, eventually the skier slows down and sinks. The boat is your mentor…
Once upon a time, we sought that relationship through our family. It may have been your parents or a wise grandparent. However, as times change, and the western family structure has evolved due to our changing environment, sometimes this source of mentorship isn’t available.
Therefore, to become the best leaders we can be, and to be effortless, it is fundamental that we seek a mentoring relationship ALL the time. In fact, I have several mentors for different elements of my life. One for business, one for fatherhood and one for spiritual growth.
In similar ways, most of my clients continue with an accountability program with me even after our initial package or contract is completed. They do so because we form that mentorship relationship wherein, we continue to work on growth and becoming even better. The most successful leaders, athletes, and influencers will tell you that they never feel that they are at their best. They strive for EVEN BETTER! That’s what keeps them at the top of their game.
Now, let’s focus on some elements of a mentoring relationship so that you can achieve the best outcomes from one. And I credit Toastmaster for their education on mentorship which has formed part of my beliefs of what effective mentorship is!
The Mentee (or protégé)
• Be willing to have an open mind and come from a place of curiosity.
• Be willing to ask for guidance and assistance.
• Be honest and truthful about their inner thoughts and feeling.
• Accept responsibility for their growth and results.
The Mentor
• Have experienced being a Mentee and benefited from such a relationship.
• Be skilled at asking questions to stimulate the awareness and transformation of the mentee.
• Be mindful at knowing when to share skill and wisdom, and when to allow the mentee to forge their own.
• Have the experience and knowledge to provide meaningful insights that are relevant.
• Always come from a place of supportiveness and positivity in order to help you form successful strategies.
The Mentor & Mentee
• Be committed to the process and the relationship.
• Be willing to listen without judgment.
• Have aligned values and beliefs. Or the Mentee should be desiring those values and beliefs held by the Mentor.
• Respect one another’s boundaries.
Now, these are just a few tips to get you started. Steven Spielberg summarised this well when he said, “The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.”
The final point I would like you to consider is this. My belief is great leadership is always about mentoring. Effortless leadership happens when you are inspiring others to grow. And when they see you as a person that leads to opportunity and self-development. Therefore, if you are not inspiring your team through mentorship, then potentially you are just managing your team. This is fine, however, it is not going to lead to the outstanding results that you would otherwise achieve through effortless leadership.
The cornerstone of my belief here is that effortless leadership is a mindset that is heartfelt. And that is what inspires those around you to transform and grow. I will touch more about the wider impact of effortless leadership in our final pillar next month.
Till then, if you’d like to discover more about how you can become an effortless leader, or if you’d like to form a mentoring relationship with me through a coaching package, get in touch with me today.
