Bad Mentors
Over the past several decades, I have made it my mission to cultivate talent in songwriters. I advise them in various writing exercises, help them link with potential collaborators, and reflect back at them what their strengths and weaknesses are, which allows them to identify optimal strategies for self-development. My years of experience as a publisher of financially successful and culturally impactful songwriters is evidence that my methods are widely applicable. What I’ve noticed is that a lot of young writers (young in the sense that these writers are new to the industry), don’t know how to identify when one of their mentors is having a negative impact on their work output. So let’s identify some traits we DON’T want in a mentor.
A lack of relevant experience in the music industry. There are so many people dolling out poor advice about creativity or music business who have never had a successful career in the industry or who, more alarmingly, have never written or released a song. Please, for the love of G-d, avoid these types of self-procliamed know-it-alls who lack the requisite experience to help you propel yourself forward.
Feedback is always negative. Look, it’s no secret that the music industry can beat you down. When you’re already on edge from it all, you want to be able to connect with a mentor who can affirm your talent and give you tips for how to improve. There are those who thrive on giving out destructive criticism to their acolytes, diminishing the fire that burns inside of them. If you find that you frequently leave interactions with your mentors feeling negatively, you may need to seek out new mentorship.
Selfish Motives: A mentor should prioritize the mentee's growth rather than their own personal gains. If a mentor is more focused on exploiting the mentee for personal benefits it can lead to a toxic mentor-mentee relationship. If you’re feeling taken advantage of financially, spiritually, or even physically, then you are in a dangerous position! Get out of there fast.
Failure to Foster Independence: A mentor's role is to guide and empower the mentee to become independent in their career, both creatively and financially. If the mentor micromanages or restricts the mentee's decision-making, it can hinder their ability to develop their own identity and skills. A good mentor knows that one day you should fly out from the nest.
Unwillingness to Share Industry Insights: There are those in the industry who, for whatever reason, feel precious about sharing wisdom about creativity or navigating sticky business situations. They feel that the next generation should go through what they went through, as opposed to ensuring future generations are instilled with knowledge that allows them to circumnavigate hardship. A good mentor shares industry insights and knowledge generously. A bad mentor may hoard information, limiting the mentee's access to valuable resources and preventing them from making informed decisions.
Choose your mentors wisely young Padawan. The information you intake will help you with your output! Always surround yourself with people who’s love and care and wisdom is self-evident!
