MENTORSHIP GUIDE

How We Think About Mentorship

We think you’ll be inspired by Labs founders. Our hope is that while you’re with us you might be open to more than just giving advice, and consider cultivating lasting relationships that, for some of you, might mean longer term advisory or even board participation. But first, just get to know our founders. For starters, we have a few key ideals for mentorship:

1) The Bible is rich with references to wisdom, here are two verses that help us think about mentorship: 

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23-24 NIV

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ."
Colossians 2:8 NIV

2) We think the best answers are often great questions. 

3) Be thoughtful about - and share! - how your faith impacts your work and the way you practice your expertise. (This often requires a lot of reflection, but we’ve found it to be a fruitful exercise.) 

4) Help our Fellows think about their entire lives, not just their organizations. The two are inexorably linked. 

5) Be encouraging while honest. We should be spurring each other on, while demanding excellence of each other. 

We’re also fond of the Mentor Manifesto, created by David Cohen, the leader of TechStars:

  • Be socratic. 

  • Expect nothing in return (you’ll be delighted with what you do get back). 

  • Be authentic / practice what you preach. 

  • Listen first. 

  • Be direct. Tell the truth, however hard. 

  • Clearly separate opinion from fact.

  • Hold information in confidence. 

  • Know what you don’t know. Be honest about what you don’t know. 

  • Guide, don’t control. Founders must make their own decisions.

  • Be optimistic. 

  • Provide specific actionable advice. Avoid vague generalities.

  • Challenge assumptions, but

  • Have empathy. Remember that startups are hard.