The Coutts view

Business leaders traditionally are supposed to be lone figures. Being dependent on advisors used to be a sign of weakness. TakeWinston Churchill - a loner who made decisions on his own. But for today’s business leaders it is vital to have a mentor, someone without selfinterest to provide a point of view and act as a sounding board.

Over 80% of those who attended the Coutts Forum for Entrepreneurs felt positively towards the creation of a mentoring programme.

The real questions were “where do I find the right mentor” and “how do I ensure that I mix with like-minded people who experience similar issues”. Finding the right mentor or mentee is often the biggest hurdle and it can be a long and painful process to find a true ‘match’.

Networks are fundamental in creating an effective mentoring relationship. Getting together and talking about common problems creates an environment within which Entrepreneurs begin to feel more confident about what they do.

The simple function of using a network to seek out like minded individuals to share an issue can develop into a long term, highly dynamic and successful mentoring relationship. Conversely can also enable a mentor or mentee to quickly recognise the relationships which will not work.

Networks provide a larger, diversified pool of mentors with a deeper understanding of the cycle of business; how Entrepreneurs face similar situations and issues at key points in their careers.

Coutts, like no other private bank, provides entrepreneurs with a bespoke service, part of which is access to a structured network; a valuable group of over 10,000 Entrepreneurs.

This shared experience is the key to finding the right mentor. Not sophisticated company ‘dating’ or ‘out of the box’ business consulting services.