The Mentorship Model of Success
BY Jennae M. Neustadt
Entrepreneurs know what it means to start from scratch. They take an idea and build a business from the ground up. They quickly learn the need to become the jack of all trades. They learn how to form the business, how to secure the necessary capital, how to scale, how to market, how to hire, and the list goes on. However, they sometimes get so caught up in the building that they overlook what can ultimately be one of the most important determinants of success – that of respecting the value of time and prioritizing who gets it.
Looking back, it is hard to believe that I learned this lesson by happenstance. Growing up my dad stressed the importance of choosing my company wisely. Yet, despite him repeating the message time and time again it never really stuck. I suppose I was certain that I could associate with a large and vast network and never change who I was as a person. I knew how I was raised. I knew what I believed and why I believed it. I set goals and priorities. Why would I need to be more conscious and deliberate about the who?
Being Intentional About the “Who”
I have had more jobs than I can count and through them I have been exposed to a lot of different people. I have always found that to be a true blessing in my life. It helped me to learn how to interact with different people, how to understand what motivates someone, how to relate to someone you have little in common with and most importantly how to appreciate the true uniqueness of our society.
What I did not realize is that those I surrounded myself with were also having an impact on me. They impacted how I framed a situation. They impacted how I responded to things. Essentially, they shaped the way I thought. All these changes were occurring without me being conscious of it or even agreeing to it.
It was only later through self-reflection that I realized how much those interactions had and were continuing to shape me. Luckily for me, when I really took the time to reflect on this, I was happy with the place at which I arrived. Yet, the thought of not being more conscious up to that time was not only concerning but I also realized that it could have really been a missed opportunity.
If you are like me you meet a lot of different people on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. You are eager to expand your network. But, in doing so you sometimes forget the value of time and the fact that it is not in endless supply. When you really think about this you realize how important it is to be intentional about the who, especially as you take on new responsibilities, grow a business and the demands on your time increase.
With age, time becomes my most valuable asset. Consciously choosing the who ensures I am making the most of this asset and ultimately achieving my goals.
Building Your Mentorship Team
I found the easiest way to be conscious of the who was to determine what I needed to improve. I then consciously sought out individuals who could help me make those improvements. Whether you refer to them as your mentorship team, your tribe, your network, or whatever other label you give them, be mindful of who they are and the role they are playing in shaping you. For me, my mentorship team consists of a few of the following:
The listener. It is important to share your thoughts and your ideas with someone you know is truly listening. This is the mentor I can call when I want to feel heard.
The challenger. This is the person who provides realism and honesty when I share a new idea. It is the one who is not going to let me settle for complacency but encourages me to think deeper and challenge myself.
The role model. Thankfully, this has always been an easy one for me to identify as I have had a lot to choose from in my life. It is important to have one or a few people that you truly admire. Take the time to understand what it is that you admire about them and how they achieved it. I often find myself asking how they would respond to a situation and whether they would support a decision I was about to make.
The networker. This mentor is crucial. This is the person who has an extensive rolodex and wants to introduce you to people that will help you grow.
The comic. I refer to this person as the comic, but it can be defined in several ways. This is the mentor who never lets me lose sight of the humor and fun in a situation and pushes me to find my happiness.
The contrast. This is the person who is nothing like me. We do not think alike, we do not act alike, and we do not see things the same. Yet, I find great value in hearing a completely different perspective and being exposed to a network I otherwise wouldn’t.
The example. This is the person that I have deemed I never want to emulate. This does not have to be an actual person but instead just a way to think about who you do not want to become. While it is important to build your team wisely that also requires knowing when someone does not align with your path and what you are striving to achieve.
You might decide this list is too long, too short or that having a list is unnecessary. That’s fair. But I challenge you to really examine how you are spending your time and who is getting the bulk of it. Ask if they are helping you to grow personally, professionally, or ideally in both regards.
Early on I had to remind myself to seek out my mentorship team but now it just comes naturally. I have found it does not have to be daily, weekly, or even monthly, but it has to be enough to not lose touch and to keep me grounded. It is about reminding myself that I need to go above and beyond finding the people who agree with me and who tell me what I want to hear to find those who will give me honest feedback and criticism when it is needed.
With age, time becomes my most valuable asset. Consciously choosing the who ensures I am making the most of this asset and ultimately achieving my goals.
About Jennae M. Neustadt
Jennae M. Neustadt is a Senior Manager of Government Affairs for SHI International Corp., the largest privately held female and minority owned business in the United States. Jennae supports the She Built It Community as she values its effort to provide the perfect platform to truly accomplish her advice of consciously choosing the who. She hopes her blog will encourage entrepreneurs to respect just how valuable of an asset time truly is and to consider how those we surround ourselves with can have a big impact on our growth and success.