Words by Charlie Gladstone

I do quite a bit of mentoring; nothing particularly organised, I just chat to people from time-to-time and give them advice. In my book Do Team I urge everyone to try to find a mentor and one of the things that I remind them of is that the mentor often benefits as much as the mentee. I enjoy the process, it’s fun and it’s important and it helps my own thoughts to crystallise. I always say yes, at least to one phone call in which both parties can figure out if there’s a useful chemistry at work. In fact, now I think of it, I did tell a guy who regularly cuts my hair that I couldn’t help him because it soon became clear that what he wanted from me was a ‘get rich quick’ scheme.

“I did tell a guy who regularly cuts my hair that I couldn’t help him because it soon became clear that what he wanted from me was a ‘get rich quick’ scheme.”

But I digress. What I wanted to mention was that I haven’t had many mentors myself. I’ve been a bit of a lone operator in my own career, which has generally been a mistake. I think this stemmed from when aged 25 my family business, which was in a serious mess, was literally chucked at me and I was told to get on with sorting it all out. Sometimes I sunk and sometimes I swam but I could never figure out who to ask for help.

But recently, when writing that book I mentioned above, I was very subtly and effectively mentored by my editor and publisher, Miranda West.

“This was a perfect example of mentoring; instructions were clear, communication was precise, encouragement was regular and Miranda’s opinion was always deeply considered and useful if gently proffered.”

The first book that I wrote (The Family Guide to the Great Outdoors, written with my wife Caroline) was published by Random House, a massive and sprawling company with huge budgets. We really liked our publisher and editor and the whole team there, but no one really gave us any direction on any level; not about the structure of the book, the tone, the look of the thing, the way that we publicised it. 

We remain deeply proud of the book and it was a wonderful experience, so this is in no way a criticism of that esteemed house but rather part of an explanation of how different it was to write a book the second time around, with a strong and consistent mentor.

So, what did Miranda do? Well, I won’t reveal the hard-won secrets of her editing style. But I will say that she suggested the title and direction of the book, she quietly and  determinedly persuaded me to write it, she insisted on a clear approved structure before I started writing (planning the book felt like writing an essay plan, which was deeply helpful), she edited the whole thing with deep care and told me exactly what she thought and why she thought it and she enthusiastically  guided me through the launch.

“Miranda is as responsible for this book as I am.”

Her key skill, though, was that she suggested stuff but never imposed anything on me, she guided me but didn’t interfere. Perhaps the essence of this story is that mentoring is about trying to bring the best out of someone else without over-imposing your ideas on them and, in so doing helping them to find the way to achieve their goals.

Go Miranda!

Buy the book!