Coaching is one of my favorite things to do in my business because I have a front row seat to others launching to the next level. It is almost like watching the space shuttles take off: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!  John Maxwell states , it is hard to improve when you have no one but yourself to follow. 

How Do You Learn to Skip Rocks? Modeling behavior is how we learn, the picture I share is of my husband, his brother, and nephew. This is a true example of modeling, practicing, and applying learned thought and movement toward success.

Hiring a mentor is finding someone who has gone the road before you. Practice what you teach! Currently I have several mentors where we would be considered peers but they are ahead of me in certain areas of business and life. Recently, one of my mentors helped me achieve a 441% increase in ROI of what I invested vs. new business. Below are personal numbers not to impress you but to impress upon you mentorship is worth every minute and application of study!

The past six months I have mentored  one client to 700% ROI as she launched her own agency. And most recently mentored a client to her first 5 figure contract which is a 400% ROI of mentorship investment.                                                                                                     ~ Tracy Worley (ROI based on coaching fees against new business.)

Studies following return on investment (ROI) from coaching:

Harvard Business Review did a study on ROI (return on investment) in hiring coaches and the return is not surprising to me but maybe to you. The study showed a 529% ROI for Executive Coaching. 

• Companies that offer training alone experience 22.4% increase in productivity, but when combined with coaching that figure rises to 88%.
• A conservative estimate of the monetary payoff from coaching, according to Fortune magazine, managers describe an average return of more than six times the cost of coaching.
• Companies who combine coaching with training increase employee productivity over 80%.
• A Manchester, Inc. study in 2001 demonstrated a 7-fold return on investment from coaching.

Mentoring is not one sided growth you cannot receive without giving in return. When mentoring others your growth and awareness improves because you have applied your knowledge and then learning from your mentees new perspective.

“Are you committed, consistent, creative, purposeful, reflective, and grateful for those who went before you and poured wisdom into you? Being a mentor or mentee creates a synergy of sustainable success for organizational success.” (T.Worley)

“Raising up leaders is the truly self-less goal of every mentor leader, the culmination of focusing on others. To elevate your followers means to help them reach their God-given potential, even if it means preparing them to replace you. It may also mean that you prepare them to leave your organization for better opportunities elsewhere -perhaps even with your competitor.” (T.Dungy)

Take an honest inventory of where you were 5 years ago, today, and where you want to be 5 years from now. I can personally guarantee if you keep the inventory you have today, you will find yourself doing the same thing you have always done and more than likely always for someone else.

Mentoring

1.) Get Committed           4). Be Purposeful
2.) Be Consistent              5). Be Reflective
3.) Be Creative                   6). Be Grateful

Be teachable, be prepared, ask questions, demonstrate learning, be accountable

VISION – MISSON – VALUES = GUIDING LIGHT

How to Start: Do you know people who do what you’d like to do?

1.) Get Committed – If you have to, pay people for their time and advise.
2.) Be Consistent – Meet regularly with someone who can help you.
3.) Be Creative – Learn from people even if you can’t meet them.
4.) Be Purposeful – Prepare for every interaction: don’t wing it!
5.) Be Reflective – Reflect on each encounter and discover what you are learning.
6.) Be Grateful – ALWAYS show appreciation for what you are learning from others. (Mentors)

Check List To Finding A Mentor/Coach:

• Selective: find someone who has same or like values, if there are red flags during your initial conversation the intuitive flag is there for a reason. Remember, who you spend time with directly reflects your attitude, action, and ability (what goes in comes out).
• Availability: you must have access and availability to be actively mentored, ask questions, learn from their answers, and apply what your learned. Note: always apply what you learned to find your win/fail secret sauce!
• Wisdom: a mentor/coach possess experience, knowledge, wins and fails in the area you are looking to be coached in. Wisdom comes from the experience and make sure they have the ability to mentor you to success. Remember, just because someone wins does not mean they have the ability to teach. .
• Support: a great mentor provides friendship and support. Your mentor should care about your success over all else, unselfishly working to help you reach your potential.
• Difference: a great mentor makes a difference in people’s lives, daily. “A ‘coach’ remains something, or someone, who carries a valued person from where they are to where they want to be.” ~ Kevin Hall

Ego: Competitive mindset pushing others down instead of lifting them up, you will be known by your actions more than your words “talk is cheap”

Great things happen whenever we stop seeing ourselves as God’s gift to others, and  begin seeing others as God’s gift to us.” ~ James Vuocolo

We all need people to help sharpen our gifts, talents, strengths, and navigate through problem areas.

ACTION: Make two lists. Then start searching for people with expertise in these areas who have wisdom, available, will support you and committed to making a difference in you life. Do not be discouraged as you seek mentors, keep looking and you will find the ones worth following.

1. List strengths or skills you want to improve to reach your potential.
2. List specific problem areas where you feel the need for ongoing guidance.

Look UP & OUT,

Tracy Worley

Want to learn more? Click Below:

• 5 Steps to Create The Future You Want
• Build YOUR Solid Foundation| 4 Week On Line Course
• Tracy Worley

John C. Maxwell (2012). 15 Invaluable Laws of Modeling, Chap13.
Tracy A. Worley (2015) GRACEbreak Radio
mowbraybydesign.com/2011/02/12/coaching-roi
Gerald Olivero, Denise Bane & Richard Kopelman, Public Personnel Management
Bureau of Justice statistics, June 2001.