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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Re-thinking your mentoring approach” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%2345731f” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]My mentoring relationship with Mercy (not her real name for confidentiality purposes) is unique because it’s neither one of those I planned for nor is it under a structured program. Mercy had just come back from the UK after being there for about 10 years. During this time she undertook a HR course and worked in the same line before deciding to come back home. As she was wondering where to go to church and find a mentor, her friend who is known to me invited her to our church and that is how we met. Young, pretty and educated Mercy was determined to find a footing in her own country. She further informed me she was looking towards achieving three things;

 Secure a job immediately
 Grow spiritually- be grounded in the word of God
 Get into a relationship that would lead to marriage.

I realized that what I was about to commit to was not easy but being one who is naturally driven when it comes to helping someone achieve what they are capable of, I was determined to do it. It is during this unplanned, unstructured mentoring relationship that I appreciated the following rules of mentorship;

Sacrifice; I set aside one hour every Sunday after service to meet with Mercy. This was a sacrifice considering that Sunday is a family day meaning I had to momentarily deny myself this family time. I was not going to help Mercy if I was not ready to sacrifice.

Confidentiality; The issues that Mercy needed us to address were sensitive, so sensitive that she could often breakdown during our meetings. If it’s not a relationship gone sour it’s a turn down by a potential employer, a family member who‘s a nuisance or just feeling at her lowest. The best I chose to do for Mercy during this time was to hold all information shared with high level of confidentiality. Even when I needed to refer her for help in areas that I was not an expert, I avoided sharing any information to a third party without her consent.

Motivation; Though I do mentoring at a fee, this one was among the unique ones that I do not charge. Two things that motivate me; 1. Gratitude; as a young girl in my Church school class, we used to sing this song; ‘What do you have that you were not given X2, Do not behave like you were not given, Glorify God with what you have’. I am motivated to share what God has freely given me. 2. Love; I cared deeply for Mercy and I took it as my responsibility to help her unleash her potential. I loved to see her make small & major steps towards her desired goal. These two (gratitude & love) are my motivation in any mentoring relationship whether paid or not. They are fulfilling.

Transparency; At first I noticed that Mercy was shy and cautious, she could say little and leave it for me to fill out the blanks. That was frustrating because I wanted her to be as open as possible. I asked God to help me through this set back and He quickened something in me- the need to make the relationship less formal and share my life with Mercy. I started inviting Mercy into my life; sharing my own experiences; good or bad, introducing her to my work & family, praying together and so forth. This took our relationship to another level just because Mercy realized that I am also human.
Paul says; “so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well”. 1 Thessalonians 2:8. I doubt if I would have had the kind of breakthrough I had in helping Mercy if I never shared my life with her.
While it is true that different mentoring relationships require different approaches, I am convinced that as a mentor you will not help much unless you stir up your awareness and understanding of these four; Commitment, Confidentiality, motivation and transparency. Please take time and consider how you apply the four.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]entrepreneur-leader[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Becoming “The Leading Entrepreneur”

“Entrepreneurship is not even an option, it is a national necessity. It is the only way through which we can strengthen our currency, cure joblessness and uplift our standards of living”, Edwin H. Dande CEO Cytonn Investments. This is close to what Nicole Martins, an e-commerce Entrepreneur, says “An entrepreneur is the person who sees a problem in the world and immediately focuses on creating the solution. They’re the leaders that strike out on their own to improve society. Whether they’re creating jobs or a new product, they constantly take action to ensure world progress. As a result entrepreneurs create jobs, create change, give to society and add to the National income” While I couldn’t agree more, I thought, ‘leadership is a skill that an entrepreneur must have in order to succeed’ or simply put a successful entrepreneur must ‘lead’. We explore a few characteristics of “The Leading Entrepreneur’.

Focus;The leading Entrepreneur must focus on something. Steve Jobs returned to lead Apple in 1997. Upon his return, Jobs found that Apple had widely diversified its product lines. He concluded, “Apple is in serious financial crisis and we can’t afford to do anything extra…we have got to focus and do something we can be good at.” Under his direction the company reduced its offering to just four computers; two desktops and two laptops. This narrowed focus contributed to Apples remarkable turnaround. Could it be time for you to be honest and say, “we cannot afford to do anything extra…we have got to focus”

Influence;The leading entrepreneur influences. “The true measure of leadership is influence-nothing more, nothing less” John Maxwell.  As an entrepreneur your measure of leadership is determined by their ability to influence the resources at your disposal. Key among these resources is people and they include; customers, employees, suppliers, investors, directors, family and friends. Your success is dependent on all or most of these resources.

You are the product; The leading Entrepreneur makes ‘People buy into them’. “People at first don’t follow worthy causes. They follow worthy leaders who promote causes they can believe in” John Maxwell. This is true in entrepreneurship-people will need to believe in you before they believe in your product or service. You are the product-sell yourself first!!Give people a reason to ‘buy into you’ before buying what you are offering.

Character; The leading entrepreneur exhibits character. “The only thing that walks back from the tomb with the mourners and refuses to be buried is the character of a man. This is true. What a man is survives him, it can never be buried.” J.R. Miller. Character communicates consistency, potential and respect. As an entrepreneur you need to deliver what is expected day after day. It is important to note that talent, passion, great idea and commitment must be reinforced by character.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]