What is your ‘Mentor Handicap’?
By Kevin Nations Posted on Feb 15, 2010
Golfers have it, Drag Racers have it – a number of competitive sports ‘handicap’ certain competitors before allowing them into the competition to ensure a ‘fair’ starting position. But – should YOU operate that way?
Are you operating your Mentorship with a ‘handicap’?
Most likely – YES!
Mentorships are designed to impart your encouragement and offer your vision to your clients.
What happens when you allow your clients to design a strategy where you’re expected to fulfill their goals – but by operating in the constraints of their limited vision!
Simply by accepting Money, you do NOT relinquish your right to manage the Mentoring Process. You do not become your clients’ Servant when you begin to Serve as their Mentor!
It is one of the PRIMARY deliverables of a Mentor to offer a more comprehensive vision about how to move beyond an obstacle that is facing your clients. Yet many Mentors attempt to Solve the Problems their clients bring within the limited view of their clients.
It’s time to Wake up!
The primary challenge facing your client is NOT that they don’t have the answers to the questions they’re asking – it’s that they are asking the WRONG questions! It is YOUR duty as a person of superior vision to not subject yourself to simply responding to the limited vision questions that your clients are asking.
If you feel that you’re serving your clients by giving them the best answers to the questions they ask, you’re missing the KEY ingredient of Mentorship – Superior VISION! The Vision to know when an inferior question is limiting the perfect outcome.
Here’s a quick LITMUS TEST for you. If you are simply resolving your clients’ questions – then you are not a Mentor at all, but rather a Solutions Vendor.
Hmmm. Let’s break that down.
The next time your client asks you for a way OVER the trees in their lives (when they could just get around them), UNDER the boulders in their path (when they could just step over them), AROUND the waterfalls (when they could just walk through them) – STOP and ASK…
Do I REALLY choose to let my clients’ DESIRE to control the way things should be done blind my vision for the MUCH SIMPLER process that is OBVIOUS to me (with my superior vision in this area?)
When your clients ask for a delivery format that you KNOW will not work – do you cave or do you stand for success?
When your client wants you to acknowledge a limiting belief that you KNOW is the primary obstacle in their way – do you shine the mirror or search for a way to solve the problem while ‘handicapped’.
When a PROSPECTIVE client demands services that you KNOW are going to DELAY or even PREVENT the transformation they need – do you take a stand for transformation or for what is weakly positioned as “Superior Customer Service”.
Serving the client as a MENTOR means offering your vision and taking a stand for the process that you know will bring the results. Then embracing those clients who are willing to join you in that process and allowing those who are still searching for ways OVER trees and UNDER boulders to search elsewhere. These clients are making life’s tasks nearly impossible just so they can be VALIDATED in their struggle. You can stand as a possibility for them to release that need. Or allow them to choose to continue to be reminded of how unfair the struggle is…
Remember guys – The SIMPLE LIFE is successful. And it’s WAY more fun than playing small!
So get out there and MENTOR people with all your heart. Don’t overcomplicate things. Your gift is awesome – but it’s not that difficult for people to have success. Make it easy for people and they’ll still pay you. Don’t make it hard just to prove your OWN value. Don’t get enrolled in the insanity.
And above all else – HAVE FUN! At the end of the day – THAT’S what people are investing in Mentors for – is to show them how to have FUN for the rest of their life and still get ALL the stuff done that life presents.
Shameless Plug Warning! Proceed with Extreme Caution…
If you’re ready to experience that kinda ‘FUN’ to the fullest and receive clients with ease who invest in you handsomely with abandon – then perhaps you’d like to talk to me about Mentoring with the most confrontational yet Fun-Provoking Mentors on the planet! Yup- ME! Head over to the CONTACT form on this website and send me your information and tell me what you’d like to change NOW.
I have space to personally work with FOUR additional people – why shouldn’t YOU be one of them. And, Oh Yea – don’t come just prepared to DISCUSS success – come prepared to EXPERIENCE IT! Winners take imperfect ACTION while Losers are still making perfect PLANS!
I dare you to step up and see how much more fun this can be than playing small! I dare you to take huge leaps forward in your own life and watch your market follow your lead and take huge leaps of faith with YOU! Look at the top of the page – see the CONTACT Tab, Click it and Buckle in. The FUN is about to begin!
Uhh – that’s it for the plug. 100% of the right ones of you will see the opportunity in this and jump on it (and be sending glowing testimonials soon!)
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Sunny James
Jan 5th, 2011
Kevin you always give such great info & yes proper mentoring is important so to lead those that need help getting where they want to be.
Giulietta
Feb 16th, 2010
Hi Kevin,
No matter what business we are in, we end up mentoring to some degree. that’s because what people come to us for, isn’t always what they think they are coming to us for. Your post here feeds into that. If we help them solve the problem they think they want solved because they are too afraid to look at the problem they really need solved, then we do them and ourselves a disservice!
thx. Giulietta, inspirational rebel
Nancy Marmolejo
Feb 16th, 2010
Kevin, there’s a directness here that is both fascinating and frightening! How do you converge YOUR superior vision and the client’s? You certainly have mastered that art, looking forward to learning more.
Nancy
Kevin Nations
Feb 16th, 2010
Hey Nancy thanks for the post!
In MENTORSHIP, the client comes to have their vision CHALLENGED, not embraced- they DO bring a divine path. Clients who feel they have a completely developed vision and just need help ‘tweaking’ what isn’t working are precisely why this post was written.
As a THOUGHT LEADER, one doesn’t merge your vision and theirs – you become GREAT enough to be THE vision. AND… Great enough to be small enough to make sure you’re seeing the vision of what THEY are intended to be – not just what your ego thinks will make you look best.
The challenge with much of the ‘guru’ market is that people who are above average implementers and followers claim to be THOUGHT LEADERS. Thought Leadership requires challenging one’s OWN thoughts frequently and directly and exposing one-self to confronting views to MATURE the vision being presented.
It’s an amazing space to settle into and requires a COMPLETE “Egobotomy” (new word – watch for a post on this soon!!!!) But it is SO worth it.
SOOO excited to work with you this year!
Kev-
Jill Lane
Feb 16th, 2010
Kevin,
Thank you for this post, I soaked it in!
You ‘walk your talk’ by not letting those of us fortunate to be in the process of mentorship by you not delay in our transformation due to inability to see our path – you are happy to firmly but loving (and with fun no doubt) spread the branches blocking our eyes and say, it is here for you, just take a step!
Thank you for your guidance!
jill
Kevin Nations
Feb 16th, 2010
Jill-
SOO excited to see you bloom from an AMAZING corporate career into what’s next which is SO MUCH MORE!
See you on Tuesday in the BTB!
Kev-
Nikki
Feb 15th, 2010
Kevin,
Thank you! Although I am not directly mentoring my clients (my biz is service based) I am leading them in their marketing activities (and that includes mentorship).
I am continuously learning to set boundaries and lead my clients in activities that will work – even if they balk – and setting that pace in the beginning definitely makes a difference.
Warmly,
Nikki
Kevin Nations
Feb 16th, 2010
Thanks, Nikki:
Many service businesses have an ingredient of Mentorship or at least Leadership in them. I applaud your leadership that you represent for your clients!
Kevin
Scout Wilkins
Feb 15th, 2010
Kevin,
Thanks once again for the clarity of focus…there’s no question in my mind that the huge value I have gotten from working with you is exactly because you have refused to be drawn into any conversation except “How do we make you more efficient, more focused, and more profitable?” It’s far from always comfortable – and has ALWAYS been hugely useful.
Thanks!
Kevin Nations
Feb 15th, 2010
It’s been SUCH a joy watching you grow (and knowing you’ve got SO much more left inside you to grow into).
Can’t wait to see the exponential growth you’re gonna be seeing this year!
Kev-
Amethyst Wyldfyre
Feb 15th, 2010
SOOOOooo delighted to be one of those who will be flying with ole Mr. Eagle eye this year and excited to lay bare the heart of my business to be perused, diagnosed and healed by a Master in the area where I am most unbalanced. Letting me focus on delivering my gifts easily, gracefully, simply, and with tons of joy in the process!! thx for doing your great work in the world!!
Love Lights Us… Peace is in you!!
A
Kevin Nations
Feb 15th, 2010
Thanks Amethyst. Thank YOU for being such a BRAVE SOUL!
Funny – I get 40+ comments on the Mushy Love post yesterday and then with the same number of page views, I get two comments on the “Accountability Love” post today. AND both from existing clients!
Gotta love how much more comfortable people are with Mush than with Mutual Accountability! My two cents – Mutual Accountability gives the Foundation for Mush to be sustained! So I love BOTH!!
Kev-
Ashley Mahaffey
Feb 15th, 2010
Kevin,
This was a fist pumping read for me. This is sooo in line with your teachings on taking a stand in our businesses. We all run into clients who want to take a circuitous route. I can relate it to a workout. If you want results you’re not going to take a detour around the equipment and 20 water breaks…I mean, you can, but it’s going to delay the desired outcome.
Hey, thanks again for your work. I’m certain that my decision to be mentored by you was one of my best investments. I’m so excited for the four people who are ready to really get in the game!
Best,
A
Kevin Nations
Feb 15th, 2010
I can just see you getting in an extra ‘BURST’ after reading this. By the way – I just got a new trainer here in town to scream at me and keep me away from the water fountain!
I need mentoring too!
Kev-