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Just because you’re a mentor, don’t mean you need to be a jerk!
A thread
A thread
I’ve had the great fortune to be apart of two mentor focused programs. ( @villagecapital & @techstars) While there is a ton of learning, one of the biggest thngs they offer is mentorship. At TS, this happens through a thing called “mentor madness.” If you ever been through it,
you understand the name. It’s craziness for 3 weeks straight. Tons of meetings and advice “whiplash.” You hear advice from all kinds of people. Now that I do a ton of mentoring today, I always remember how the great mentors were honest, tough but brought empathy to the table.
But I also remember how mentors would let their egos and need to be right get in the way of what they are there for. That’s to help the entrepreneur navigate the tough road ahead. I’ve had some very negative stuff said about me from mentors who met me for 20 mins. While not fair,
it taught me some lessons that I carry today. 1. I’m not here to tell you if this idea will work. I’m here to listen and give honest feedback on what I’ve experienced and to help you avoid my mistakes. 2. I’m not here to be an expert in your business. 3. I’m not here to talk down
to you or kill your dreams. 4. I am here to make you feel like the dopest person in the world and to pump you full of confidence. (We all need it) if you’re going to mentor someone, there is no need to be a jerk. We don’t need you to make us feel dumb. What we need is an ear and
feedback that helps us push forward. We remember those that do. We also remember the ones who acted like a jerk.
