Mind Your Farm Business — Ep. 37: The value of mentorship

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Who learns more from a mentorship — the mentor or the mentee?

The answer may surprise you. As Deb Stark, former deputy minister of agriculture for Ontario, explains, a good mentoring relationship has value for all parties involved, but success requires communication and commitment from those involved.

In this episode of Mind Your Farm Business, Stark shares the key points of what makes a mentorship positive, how to approach the subject with someone, what to consider in an agreement, formal or informal, and how to know when it’s time to move on.

Seeking out a mentor might seem a little intimidating, but Stark says it can be a great way to seek guidance as you navigate forward through a career change, a farm expansion, or taking on a leadership role in the industry.

As for those considering being a mentor, Stark very much encourages people to consider the possibility, recognizing there is a time commitment, but that there’s much to learn, too. “I’ve learned as much from (mentees) as they’ve learned from me,” she says.

Listen below to the entire discussion with Deb Stark: 

Disclaimer: Royal Bank of Canada and its subsidiaries are not responsible for the information provided in this podcast, and this information does not necessarily reflect the views of Royal Bank of Canada or any of its subsidiaries. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or any of its subsidiaries.

Click here for more episodes of Mind Your Farm Business.

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