The Mermaid
This is post 8/ 12 in a series about the pub crawl by my namesake Gary King and his friends in the Worlds End and the close association with business mentoring & coaching.
I’ve never made a secret of the fact that I have issues with business coaches and mentors without the necessary experience, and not least because every other person you come across on LinkedIn claims to be one.
There are over 45,000 in the UK alone and growing weekly.
The coaching & mentoring profession is unregulated, and requires no formal training, knowledge, expertise, experience, qualification or accreditation. This is more than enough for me to dismiss the work done by many (though certainly not all) as a bit superficial and short-term, to say the least.
It seems that getting someone who doesn’t leave you feeling short-changed when it comes to sorting your business out long-term is somewhat of a mythical quest, but I can assure you, we’re out there if you look closely.
At my profile, at least.
My estimate is that less than 750 have the capability & track record to deliver results.
For peace of mind about the quality of the person you choose to support you with developing yourself and your business, start by looking for someone who is a member of the Association of Business Mentors (https://www.associationofbusinessmentors.org/). To be approved as a member their experience and qualifications will have been verified, and they’ve made a commitment to professional development too.
Ask any potential Business Mentor about their prior or current business experience. Were they successful (many great mentors have had businesses that failed, that often provides invaluable experience)? What industries have they worked in and what difference have they made to the businesses they have worked with? Seek testimonials and case studies. A great business mentor will be only too happy to provide.
Think I can offer what you need or worth an exploratory chat? No conch shell required.
