Nothing can help a sales trainee more than being mentored by a successful veteran. Sometimes, despite having the best of intentions, a mentor can do more harm than good. It happens when the veteran sees things too much from the perspective of a veteran, and not enough from the perspective of a rookie. If you are a mentor, you have to put yourself in the trainee’s shoes. Here are a few questions to get you thinking about how to do that …

Am I emphasizing product knowledge enough? You may be taking product knowledge for granted, because it’s in your bones. Remember how much time and effort you put into learning your products and the competition’s when you were starting out.

Am I going into too much detail? You know so much about your sales and your industry, you could talk about it for days on end without ever repeating yourself. But people can only absorb so much. Tell the story a little bit at a time.

Am I emphasizing relationships too much? It may sound sacrilegious, but nurturing deep professional relationships with customers may not be the first order of business for a rookie. Remember that you have to have customers before you can develop them. Often, a new rep must devote the vast majority of his time to opening accounts - it’s a much different allocation of time than what applies to a veteran.

Am I airing my dirty laundry? Do you have lingering issues with management, customers, or suppliers? If you’ve been selling for a long time and don’t, you really are the exception. If you’re a mentor, remember that your words carry enormous weight. An offhand negative comment can color a rookie’s perception for life. Don’t transfer your problems to the new person - she’ll have challenge enough in dealing with her own.

Mentoring can be as rewarding for you as it is for the new rep. By starting with the right perspective, you’ll both get the most out of the mentoring relationship.

Questions

What’s the best advice you’ve ever given a rookie?

What’s the worst advice you’ve ever given a rookie?