RELATIONAL STYLES OF THE MENTOR WITH THE ENTREPRENEUR

1. Accompany: serves as support and sustenance, knows empathise with and accept your entrepreneur and listen with genuine interest to really help you.
2. Guidance: the mentor is a counsellor (non-directive), use questions, hypotheses, feedback with feedback.
3. Directing, at specific moments: maintain focused on the entrepreneur in the chosen process, in the structure and conversation of the session to make it useful.

Avoid these 5 traps

1. Avoiding immediate satisfaction of the entrepreneur's needs (an advisor, consultant or expert will satisfy you...but we don't, because we are looking for learning). 
2. Avoid relieving and turn the relationship into a friendship, satisfying affection or attachment bond.
3. Avoid pleasing, pandering or condescending to everything the entrepreneur asks for... it is not a question of liking him, but of helping him. Confronting and questioning or criticising the entrepreneur...
4. Avoiding proving the mentor right or avoiding proving the mentor wrong how much you know as a mentor or how competent you are, we don't have to prove that we know better or that we are right, we have to respect the entrepreneur's ideas!!!!
5. Avoid acting like a parent, you have the same authority as the entrepreneur, no more and no less. 

In the mentoring relationship, both mentor and mentee must contribute:

• Time.
• Interest.
• Commitment.
• Energy.
• Effort.

There are different relational styles that a mentor can adopt in his or her relationship with the entrepreneur.

Some of them are described below, together with their advantages and practical examples:

MANAGERIAL STYLE:

The mentor who adopts this style is goal-oriented, structured and focused on the outcome. He/she provides clear and specific guidance and expects the entrepreneur to follow his/her guidelines.

ADVANTAGES:

• It allows for efficient and accelerated learning.
• It facilitates decision-making and reduces uncertainty.
• It helps entrepreneurs to define and achieve specific objectives.

EXAMPLE:

A management mentor could help an entrepreneur to establish a clear and structured business plan for his or her new venture.

AFFILIATIVE STYLE:

The mentor who adopts this style is friendly, caring and focuses on building strong emotional relationships with the entrepreneur. The mentor is concerned about the well-being of the entrepreneur and tries to create a pleasant and cooperative environment.

ADVANTAGES:

• It improves the motivation and self-esteem of the entrepreneur.
• Encourages creativity and innovation by reducing anxiety and stress.
• Increases the entrepreneur's trust and loyalty towards the mentor.

EXAMPLE:

An affiliative mentor could encourage the entrepreneur to share their personal experiences and concerns, and support them through any personal or professional challenges they face.

PERSUASIVE STYLE:

The mentor who adopts this style is persuasive, inspiring and enthusiastic. He/she encourages the entrepreneur to take risks and to look for new opportunities. He/she may also persuade the entrepreneur to change his/her approach or perspective on a problem.

ADVANTAGES:

• Stimulates creativity and innovative thinking.
• It pushes the entrepreneur out of his or her comfort zone and to consider new possibilities.
• It helps the entrepreneur to develop the ability to persuade others.

EXAMPLE:

A persuasive mentor could motivate the entrepreneur to go out and look for new business opportunities instead of limiting himself to his current market.

PARTICIPATORY STYLE:

The mentor who adopts this style is collaborative and encourages the entrepreneur to participate in decision-making. He/she actively listens and considers the entrepreneur's perspectives and opinions.

ADVANTAGES:

• It fosters the entrepreneur's commitment and loyalty to the mentor and the company.
• Improves the quality of decision-making by considering multiple perspectives.
• It helps the entrepreneur to develop leadership and decision-making skills.

EXAMPLE:

A participatory mentor could involve the entrepreneur in making decisions about what products or services to offer, how to market them and how to expand the business in the future.

It is important to stress that there is no one style of mentoring that is "better" than another, and that the mentor should adapt his or her style to the needs and preferences of the entrepreneur. In addition, a mentor may use different styles at different times depending on the needs of the entrepreneur.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE CLEAR ON THESE CONCEPTS OF ACCOMPANYING, GUIDING AND LEADING DURING A MENTORING RELATIONSHIP

ACCOMPANY:

In the context of a mentoring relationship, mentoring means being a support and a support for the entrepreneur. The mentor must empathise with the entrepreneur, accept his or her experiences and listen with genuine interest in order to really help him or her.

The mentor should be present and attentive during the mentoring process, providing emotional and professional support to enable the entrepreneur to address the challenges and problems that arise. This may include offering encouragement, advice, perspectives and alternative solutions, always from a place of respect and understanding.

GUIDE:

The mentor is a coach, and in this role, uses questions, hypotheses and feedback with feedback to help the entrepreneur discover their own solutions and answers. Through guidance, the mentor encourages critical thinking and reflection in the entrepreneur, which can help develop problem-solving and decision-making skills.

By asking open-ended questions and actively listening to the entrepreneur's responses, the mentor can help the entrepreneur to better understand his or her own thought process and arrive at more effective and sustainable solutions.

DIRECTING, AT SPECIFIC MOMENTS:

Although the mentor's primary role is to guide and support the entrepreneur, there are times when the mentor should intervene more directly and lead the conversation and the mentoring process.

This is done to keep the entrepreneur focused on the chosen process, structure and conversation of the session so that it is useful. At these times, the mentor can provide specific guidance, directions and feedback at the appropriate time to ensure that the mentoring process is on track and the desired objectives are achieved.

In short, a mentor must be able to accompany the entrepreneur as an emotional and professional supporter, guide the entrepreneur to discover his or her own solutions and answers, and sometimes direct the conversation and the mentoring process to keep him or her focused on the goal.

In doing so, the mentor can help the entrepreneur to develop skills and achieve success in his or her venture.

A PRACTICAL METHOD FOR A MENTOR TO DISCOVER WHICH STYLE IS BEST FOR HIM/HER IN THE MENTORING RELATIONSHIP

1. Self-assessment: The first step is for the mentor to conduct a self-assessment to understand his or her own preferences and tendencies. The mentor should ask him/herself what kind of person he/she is, what his/her leadership style is, how he/she prefers to interact with others, what motivates him/her and what challenges he/she faces.
2. Knowing the entrepreneur: The mentor must get to know the entrepreneur in order to understand his or her needs and preferences. The mentor should ask what type of entrepreneur they are, what their strengths and weaknesses are, what their previous experience is and what their goals are.
3. Identify the needs of the entrepreneur: The mentor should identify the specific needs of the entrepreneur. The mentor should ask what kind of support the entrepreneur needs, whether he/she needs help in developing technical or leadership skills, or whether he/she needs guidance in decision-making.
4. Adapt the style of mentoring: Once the mentor has assessed his or her own preferences, knows the entrepreneur and has identified his or her specific needs, he or she can adapt his or her mentoring style to meet those needs. For example, if the entrepreneur needs support in decision-making, the mentor can adopt a participative style to involve the entrepreneur in decision-making.
5. Ask for feedback: It is important for the mentor to ask for feedback from the entrepreneur to ensure that the chosen mentoring style is working for both parties. The mentor should ask the entrepreneur if they are satisfied with the mentoring relationship, if they are getting the kind of support they need and if the mentoring style is effective.

In short, a mentor can discover what style suits him/her best in his/her mentoring relationship through self-assessment, getting to know the entrepreneur, identifying the entrepreneur's specific needs, adapting his/her mentoring style and asking for feedback.

How does a mentor know which mentoring style is best for him or her?

In order to know which mentoring style suits him/her best, the mentor should consider his/her own strengths and weaknesses, as well as the specific context and needs of the entrepreneur he/she is mentoring.

HERE ARE SOME STEPS THAT THE MENTOR CAN FOLLOW:

1. Self-assessment: The mentor should reflect on his or her own leadership style, communication skills, strengths and weaknesses, and how he or she relates to others. They should also consider their previous experiences as a mentor or leader.
2. Identify the needs of the entrepreneur: The mentor must know the needs and objectives of the entrepreneur he/she is mentoring, as well as his/her learning style and his/her strengths and weaknesses.
3. Evaluate different styles of mentoring: There are different styles of mentoring, such as the directive style, the participative style, the coaching style, the facilitating style and the inspirational style. The mentor should evaluate the different styles and consider which best suits his or her strengths and the needs of the entrepreneur.
4. Trial and error: The mentor should experiment with different mentoring styles and evaluate their effectiveness. Sometimes it may be necessary to adjust the mentoring style as the relationship develops.
5. Ask for feedback: It is important for the mentor to ask for feedback from the entrepreneur to ensure that the chosen mentoring style is working for both parties. The mentor should ask the entrepreneur if they are satisfied with the mentoring relationship, if they are getting the kind of support they need and if the mentoring style is effective.

In short, a mentor can find out which mentoring style suits him/her best through self-assessment, considering the needs of the entrepreneur, evaluating different mentoring styles, experimenting with different approaches and asking for feedback.

FIVE PITFALLS TO AVOID IN A MENTORING RELATIONSHIP:

1. Avoiding immediate satisfaction of the entrepreneur's needs: As a mentor, your role is not to solve the entrepreneur's problems immediately, but to help him or her find solutions and learn in the process. If you meet the entrepreneur's needs immediately, you are preventing the entrepreneur from developing his or her own skills and learning to face challenges on his or her own.
2. Avoid relieving and turn the relationship into a friendship: While it is important to establish a relationship of trust and respect with the entrepreneur, it is important to avoid the relationship becoming one of friendship or satisfying emotional needs of affection or attachment. The focus should be on the entrepreneur's learning and professional development, not on meeting emotional needs.
3. Avoid pleasing, pandering or condescending to everything the entrepreneur asks for: As a mentor, your role is to guide the entrepreneur and provide objective perspectives and feedback. Pleasing, pandering or condescending to everything the entrepreneur asks for can hinder their progress and development. It is important to confront and challenge the entrepreneur's ideas to help them see different perspectives and discover more effective solutions.
4. Avoid proving the mentor right or avoiding demonstrating how much you know as a mentor or how competent you are: As a mentor, your role is to help the entrepreneur discover his or her own solutions and answers, not to demonstrate your own competence or wisdom. It is important to respect the entrepreneur's ideas and encourage critical thinking and reflection. Proving that you are right or how much you know can hinder the entrepreneur's learning process.
5. Avoid acting like a parent: As a mentor, your role is to guide the entrepreneur and provide support and objective perspectives, not to act as a parent. It is important to establish a relationship of equality and shared authority, and to allow the entrepreneur to make decisions and learn from his or her mistakes and challenges.

In summary, as a mentor, it is important to avoid these five pitfalls to ensure that the mentoring relationship is effective and beneficial to the entrepreneur. In doing so, you can help the entrepreneur develop skills and achieve success in their venture.

THE FIVE KEY ELEMENTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR A SUCCESSFUL MENTORING RELATIONSHIP, BOTH FOR THE MENTOR AND THE ENTREPRENEUR:

1. Time: is a valuable resource in any relationship, and in a mentoring relationship it is no different. Both mentor and entrepreneur must be willing to invest time in the relationship to ensure that it is effective and beneficial. The mentor must be available to meet regularly with the entrepreneur and spend time helping them develop their skills and achieve their goals.
2. Interest: For a mentoring relationship to be effective, it is important that the mentor is interested in the entrepreneur's success. The mentor must be willing to listen to the entrepreneur, understand his or her needs and goals, and be committed to helping the entrepreneur achieve them.
3. Commitment: is essential in a successful mentoring relationship. Both mentor and entrepreneur must be committed to the process and willing to work together to achieve the goals set. The mentor must be a constant support to the entrepreneur and be willing to provide guidance and constructive feedback throughout the process.
4. Energy: is necessary to ensure that the mentoring relationship is effective and productive. The mentor must be willing to devote his or her energy and efforts to helping the entrepreneur achieve his or her goals. This may mean sharing experiences, providing constructive feedback and being a constant support throughout the process.
5. Effort: Last but not least is effort. Both the mentor and the entrepreneur must be willing to go the extra mile for the mentoring relationship to be successful. The mentor must be willing to put his or her skills and knowledge to work to help the entrepreneur, while the entrepreneur must be willing to accept the mentor's advice and constructive criticism and work hard to achieve his or her goals.

In a nutshell, In a successful mentoring relationship, both the mentor and the entrepreneur must contribute time, interest, commitment, energy and effort. In doing so, they can work together to achieve the goals set and ensure success in the mentee's endeavour.