How to Create Successful Mentoring Experiences with Shelby Scarbough

The Idea Climbing Podcast

Episode 50! Mentoring doesn’t have to be a formal program or system; it can be natural and organic. This doesn’t mean that you sit back and wait for it to happen, there are things you can do to create successful mentoring experiences. That’s what I discuss in this episode with Shelby Scarbrough, a serial entrepreneur, author, and mentor. Sometimes mentoring happens accidentally. How do you know when someone is mentoring you? When they show an interest in your career, professional development and they want to help you succeed. It’s not a transaction, it’s a relationship. When you realize the opportunity it’s your role to nurture the relationship in a positive way. One of the best ways to do that is by expressing gratitude for their mentorship. You can also send thank you notes and share your successes with your mentor. Let them know that in some way they were part of your successes. While it sounds counter-intuitive, Shelby believes that mentoring isn’t about giving and getting advice. She learned this through the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) which has forums of peers that meet regularly. They don’t give advice, they share experiences. One example of having a mentoring conversation is to not say “You should…”. That means you’re telling the other person what to do. By sharing experiences, the mentee can draw their own conclusions and decide what actions to take. In this episode we also discuss: How failures can contribute to your success in a mentoring relationship. Why teaching the “Why?” of an action is an essential element of somebody learning something. The importance of setting expectations for mentoring experiences and relationships. The components of successful mentoring experiences. How to approach potential mentors. …and other golden nuggets of advice! If you enjoy this episode please rate us and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your podcasting platform of choice. About The Guest Shelby speaks on topics of leadership and entrepreneurship spreading a message of personal responsibility, civility, and joy to audiences around the world. She was a TEDx Napa Valley speaker on Civility and has addressed a conference on entrepreneurship at the United Nations. What unites all Shelby Scarbrough’s endeavors is a dedication to civility that she refined while working in the White House, the U.S. Department of State, and in her own business, Practical Protocol. A renowned speaker on entrepreneurship and civility, Scarbrough was a graduation speaker for her Harvard Business School graduation class of the Owner/President Management program. She has inspired audiences as a TEDx speaker and spent three years addressing entrepreneurs around the world while serving on the global board of Entrepreneurs’ Organization. In 2021 she co-founded the Global School of Entrepreneurship creating a new way of MBA for entrepreneurs.