“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles at it.”
Margaret Fuller
If you’re a new agent in real estate, do you currently have a mentor? If you’re an experienced agent, do you currently mentor someone? If not, why?
Mentorship gets a lot of lip service in business, but it’s harder to spot in practice. “We believe in developing talent,” is silently followed up with the thought “…as long as it doesn’t cut into my piece of the pie.” There’s a tendency to regard education and training as a kiddie pool prior to swimming with the sharks in the ocean.
But is the attitude “I paid my dues, they’ll have to pay theirs the same way… through hard won experience” really productive? Why do so many people think of mentoring others as a one-way street? I believe that both the teacher and the student learn equally in this situation.
First, mentoring someone forces you to articulate what you think. It’s a revelatory experience to explore your own assumptions and ideas by explaining them to others. At times, you find out how much you don’t know about what you think you know. Other times, presenting your perspective can reinforce your beliefs and reinvigorate your pursuit of them.
Second, novices expose you to challenges you haven’t had to face yet and tools you didn’t know existed. There’s nothing as humbling (and I would say interesting) as when your student asks you about a new tool, idea, or theory you haven’t encountered.
Third, you can derive a great deal of personal satisfaction by helping someone. Yes, it takes time and effort, but the intangible rewards are there: The inherent pleasure of helping someone, the gratitude of your student, and the social nature of the interaction.
Mentorship doesn’t have to be an hour seminar once a week, or a mandatory “all hands” meeting. At times, the best learning relationships are casual. Lunch once a month, a coffee every other week.
If you’re a new agent looking for a mentor, respect the time of your mentor and the nature of the relationship. You’re seeking good advice that came at a price, so be a good listener. Come to these meetings with a few pointed questions, or one concern. Present it without excessive complaint and truly seek your mentor’s opinion.
(By the way: It doesn’t hurt to treat your mentor to that cup of coffee or occasional lunch.)
Naturally, a day will come when it will be your turn to mentor. Remember who helped you and pay it forward.Someone lit your candle, right? Light someone else’s.
Photo credit: Ravages
