Plus + Minus – Equals = The Importance of #Mentoring

I read at work regularly. Articles mostly, many online.

Recently, a Brain Food article (from Shane Parrish’s Farnham Street) covered a system which Frank Shamrock (four-time undefeated MMA champion and coach) created to develop fighters quickly and effectively:

Plus, minus, equals.

His idea is this;

To improve and internalise the form and technique you learn as a fighter, you must work with someone better than you, someone equal to you and someone to whom you can teach.

Whilst I’m not a fighter in the same sense, I do run a business, and this idea has been mulling in my head since I read it.

Now I’m doing something about it.

Equals =

As I mentioned a few weeks ago – I’ve started a small group, made up of founders, to come together and learn from each other, and support each other.

It’s early days, but I hope it wil become a regular part of each month for myself, and others.

Minus –

I’m now about to start mentoring someone starting their own design business.

I think I have some things to offer – if I ignore my own imposter syndrome – after 20 years in this industry and 10 years running a business.

Plus +

Which leaves finding my own mentor. It’s important. I’ve been fortunate in the past to have taken part in a range of mentoring and coaching programmes.

Each has proved useful, so this is on my radar for the coming months as the above two settle in.

Paul Alderson, Founder, Wonderstuff

This article was originally published on wonderstuff.co 18th Jan 2019.

Do you have a mentor? An equal? Someone to teach? Tell us about it in the comments below.