6 THINGS YOU NEED

6 Things You Need to Do to Be a Great Mentor

Everyone reaches the point in their career where they feel they have gained enough experience and wisdom about business and what it takes to succeed, to actually help someone else achieve the same. Although you may have trained or given advice over the years, taking on the official status as a mentor to someone is a whole new ball game. Although mentorship is an unpaid endeavor, you’ll be surprised to find out how much you’ll gain from the experience. You’ll also grow as a business person through the process of teaching someone else. It’s also an endeavor that many will pay forward one day, creating a business atmosphere that is based more on mutual success than competition, which is better for everyone.

If you were mentored, you may already have an idea of what it entails, and what you liked or didn’t like in your mentor/mentee relationship. Although it is a personal relationship that will need an individual approach, there are certain things that are key when it comes to being a great mentor:

1. Be a good listener You’re basically a sounding board who needs to hear your mentee’s ideas, plans and goals in order to advise them. Strong, constant and clear communication is key to any successful mentoring relationship. Sometimes just letting them talk things out with you, will lead to them to discovering the solution they were looking for.

2. Set expectations and goals at the start When listening to your mentee in your first meeting about the potential relationship, it’s important to establish the parameters of what that relationship will be: What can you give them? What do they need or expect from you? Once the terms are agreed upon, you may want to set specific goals you’ll be working on together so that there’s a defined plan of action, timeline and result you can both expect.

3. Be honest This is important when it comes to offering them constructive criticism or tough love, but more importantly, you need to be honest about your own failures. It can be a huge relief to find out someone they look up to has gone through similar experiences and still managed to come out on top. As we all know, oftentimes the greatest lessons come from failures, which can be times when our character is truly tested. Building trust through mutual respect and honesty will make every aspect of your mentorship more effective.

4. Get them to think, don’t make decisions for them Sometimes being a mentor is being a bit like a psychologist. By asking certain ques-

tions you can lead your mentee to their own conclusions about their business dilemmas and strategies to reach their goals. Being a mentor is all about guidance. Build confidence by drawing out the best in your mentee rather than just presenting them with solutions.

5. Look at the situation objectively One of the key strengths you offer your mentee is a complete emotional detachment to their business. You have no sentimental attachment to doing things a certain way or working with an incompetent vendor because you ‘go way back’. Your only motive is what’s best for your mentee and their business. Although emotions cans still get in the way sometimes, having a detached perspective on hand to guide you is invaluable. all, you are a reliable support to them and have a complete belief in their abilities. Make sure to always praise their accomplishments.

Remember: your job as a mentor is more about guidance than constant feedback. Your goal is to help someone become the best they can be, not someone who just does everything the way you do it. You’re helping them build confidence in their own intuition, which will hopefully lead to a lifetime of success, and one day, they too might be a valuable resource to another mentee down the road.

6. Don’t just offer constructive criticism, be supportive Yes, being a mentor is sometimes advising your mentee that he’s doing something ineffectively, but your main purpose is to alway approach everything like cheerleader. You need to let them know that through it

LINDSAY MORIN

LINDSAY MORIN

Top Agent Lindsay Morin’s favorite part of her job is helping people empower themselves and build wealth through real estate.

You might say Lindsay Morin had a pretty eventful first year in real estate. “I got my license and then found out a week later that I was pregnant with my third child. So I’d be showing a home and people couldn’t help but ask all the questions you ask. It turned out to be a great icebreaker, and helped me connect with people right off the bat.”

Lindsay got into the business because of her passion for beautiful homes and design, and because she wanted a career that allowed her to pursue her own dreams instead of serving someone else’s. Her sales for that first year exceeded her own expectations by a lot, and nearly five years later she’s still crushing her goals. Last year she closed 37 transactions in her home market of Bend, Oregon, with a repeat client and referral rate of 100 percent.

That’s not what she’s most proud of, however. Since 2018, Lindsay has affiliated with Homes for Heroes—an organization that gives back to first responders, veterans, healthcare workers and teachers—and has personally given back $137,000 to these heroes through their home purchase, making her the top affiliate in Oregon and 29th nationwide. “My Mom is a nurse. My Dad is

a Viet Nam veteran and my husband is a retired police officer. Tons of my friends are teachers. So I have a soft spot for people who serve in those professions.”

Lindsay feels very blessed for the success she’s had, and attributes it to her authentic desire to help her clients. “People can tell if you really have their interests at heart, or if you just see them as a paycheck. I’m a very down-to-earth person who enjoys hanging out with people. Homes will sell one way or another, but I believe one of the things people want from an agent is simply someone whom they can enjoy hanging out with. It’s important, because whether buying or selling, they’ll be spending a lot of time with their agent.”

On the selling end, Lindsay ensures the homes she represents are presented in their best light through the use of professional staging and photography, as well as video and walk-through tours that emphasize the property’s unique qualities. She conducts Open Houses and Broker Opens when public health protocols allow, and she does targeted marketing on Instagram and Facebook.

Her favorite part of the job is helping people empower themselves and build wealth through real estate. “Whether they’re purchasing their first home or wanting to invest, I absolutely love coaching people on how real estate can help them gain some financial freedom. It’s a privilege to be in a position to help them with one of the biggest decisions of their lives.”

The next step for her business is growing a team. “I’ve just partnered with a new agent, someone who is already proving to be a real rock star in the industry. I’m super excited because we’re on the same page about how to treat our clients, and the kind of reputation we want to build. Our near goal now is to establish a solid brand in our market. Teaming up will allow us to help so many more people!”

To learn more about Lindsay Morin, please call 541-515-3651 or email Lindsay@centraloregonlifestyle.realty