HEMP Mentor Maxims: Why You Need a Why

What is one of the most valuable assets an entrepreneur can have that doesn’t appear on a balance sheet? Certainly, the talent within the organization falls into this category. How about an asset from outside the organization?

An entrepreneur who is fortunate enough to have an ongoing relationship with a mentor will see an exponential increase in the value of his or her organization. A good mentor will challenge the entrepreneur to think differently. A good mentor will make things uncomfortable for the entrepreneur in terms of shaking up the status quo. And a good mentor will help lift the entrepreneur out of the tactical mode and into a strategic mindset.

There are many areas of the organization where the mentoring process can begin. But I think there is one that is most important. The leaders of every company in America can explain what their companies do. Most can explain how they do it. But very few can say why they do what they do. Understanding your WHY is far and away the most critical first step your mentor will take with you.

Believing in a Why

Generally, the WHY of an organization mirrors the WHY of its founder. The WHY is a belief. It is inspiring to the employees of a company as well as to its customers or clients. A good mentor will lead you through the process of understanding your WHY and the WHY of the key members of your organization.

Have you ever heard of TOMS Shoes? TOMS is a phenomenal success story about Blake Mycoskie, a young entrepreneur who visited Argentina and liked so much the simple shoes he saw that he made a deal with local craftsmen to make a supply in a variety of colors and styles. Then he brought them to the United States and sold them. Sounds good, right? But the most important part of the story is the WHY. Mycoskie’s business plan from the start in 2006 was to donate a pair of shoes to a poor child in another country for every pair of shoes that was sold. Through 2012, TOMS has given away more than 1 million pairs of shoes.

People who buy shoes from TOMS like the design, simplicity and reasonable cost. But there are many shoe companies that sell shoes that are attractively designed, simple and reasonably priced. The difference-maker for TOMS’ customers is the WHY—the fact that a for-profit company is actually willing to give away its product to children in need, and at the same ratio as what it sells.

The Nine Whys

There are nine WHYs. Each one of us falls into one of these categories:

1. We want to do things the right way.
2. We want do things a better way.
3. We want make sense of complex things.
4. We want to contribute and make a difference.
5. We want to do things to create relationships through trust.
6. We want to simplify things.
7. We want to master things.
8. We want to challenge the status quo and think differently.
9. We want to do things to create clarity.
Which of these is your WHY? Think about the people you work with. Can you identify theirs? If you are the owner of your company is your WHY the same as the WHY for your company? Your mentor will join you in your quest to discover the answers to these questions. This interaction presents a unique opportunity to engage a third party in this discovery process. Your mentor can probe and inquire of you and your team to help determine the answer to WHY. As your mentor helps you understand your WHY, you will receive another benefit from the exercise. Many entrepreneurs are mired in tactics day-in and day-out. By getting to the WHY, your mentor will be help you move into the strategic realm—something all entrepreneurs strive to achieve.

A mentor will help you figure out some of the most important elements of your business. Your mentor will also assist you in exploring personnel issues, brainstorming marketing ideas, managing your cash flow, planning for succession, addressing customer service concerns and a host of other topics. If you have the opportunity, take advantage of the benefits you can derive from teaming with a mentor and start with getting to your WHY.