About 18 months ago, I gave a talk at a large conference near Tel Aviv of owners of SMEs. The subject was why they should consider hiring a business mentor.

For many of these people, they consider a mentor as just another expense. After all, how can an outsider known their business better than themselves?

I drew an analogy to the world of sport. In athletics, football, swimming  and the rest, there are many, many, many naturally talented human beings. Yet just about all of them have a coach.

Why? Because that extra voice and set of eyes have an experience that is able to bring the best out of others. Coaches and mentors have a special, somewhat undefined, skill that adds so much more to the achievements of the client.

It is the same in business. Sometimes, in order to get over that finishing line, you need an additional head and pair of hands, and there is nothing to be embarrassed about by admitting it.

To understand further what I mean – and to examine my table tennis skills – have a look at this video.