Having a good mentor by our side is fundamental, even if we have great experience in innovation and entrepreneurship in general. In fact, a curious thing that happens as we learn is that the more we know the more we realize we know less. As Socrates said, “I only know that I know nothing”.

The Purpose Launchpad methodology was launched on July 1 of this year, and over the past few months I have conducted the first two
Purpose Launchpad Mentor Certification Programs
The Purpose Launchpad Mentor Certification Program, which consisted of 3 months in which I worked with the mentors in a very close way on the methodology itself and how to apply it to startups, corporations and their own projects to create a massive impact. However, in line with Socrates’ comments, I also felt like a student. I have had the opportunity to learn from 36 other extraordinary people and I couldn’t help but share this knowledge by summarizing what I consider to be the ten most important aspects of extraordinary Purpose Launchpad mentors:

1. Combine strategic vision and key details: As with good entrepreneurs, it is very important to be able to understand the project at a strategic level and at the same time take care of the details, as both are closely related. Sometimes the trees don’t let us see the whole forest, and the mentor’s job in the face of a challenge will be to lift the team up so that they understand what is happening and can approach the solution from another point of view. As he says
   Vittorio Sommella
   theonly way to solve certain problems is to raise the team’s perspective and make them understand from a strategic point of view how they can solve a problem that a priori might seem to be a more tactical issue.

2. Know different innovation methodologies and tools and apply them appropriately (which does not mean rigorously). Purpose Launchpad is a meta methodology that includes multiple innovation techniques (such as Lean Startup, Customer Development, Design Thinking, Business Model Design, Exponential Organizations, Massive Transformational Purpose, etc.). Purpose Launchpad mentors should know all of them, although the important thing is not to apply them in a strict way, but to keep their essence and help our mentees to make the best use of them. As he says
   Pepe Tam
   “the magic of Purpose Launchpad is the use of a multidimensional mind and utilizing all that different innovation methodologies offer us, which can give our mentees the wisdom and guidance they need”.

3. Making the complex simple: There is a wealth of information to consider when making the right decisions, as well as multiple tools and methodologies that we can implement to improve our initiative. As mentors, we must always try to facilitate the understanding and life of our mentees. As he says
   Suman Sasmal
   Suman Smal explains things in a simple way, so it sticks in the mind, and uses stories, examples and metaphors whenever possible.

4. Trust and follow the methodology: Purpose Launchpad and the methodologies it integrates bring together the wisdom and experience of thousands of people, when our teams feel disoriented, it is only necessary to remind them of the importance of following the right path. As he says
   Sanjay Bhana
   trust and follow the methodology, it works”.

5. Focus on process and not content: As individuals, mentors will have their own opinion or ideas about the project they are mentoring. However, as good innovators, they know that any new idea is nothing more than a hypothesis that needs to be evaluated. For this and other reasons, mentors should focus on guiding their projects along the way, advising them on what steps to take so that they themselves generate and evolve their own ideas. And if at any time a mentor wants to give a concrete idea to his or her teams, he or she should make it very clear that it is only a hypothesis that, like any other, must be properly evaluated. As he says
   Eric Patel
   focus on the process and not on your own opinions.

6. Adapt to the team and the moment: Each team is different from the rest and, therefore, will require a different type and style of mentoring. For example, if a team is an expert in ‘Design Thinking’, the mentor may suggest that they carry out a process of this type to find solutions to specific challenges. If the team did not know enough about Design Thinking, the mentor could give them specific tasks (asking them to empathize with different groups of people, to define the main problem they have encountered, to brainstorm possible solutions, etc.) that would make them follow the process without them even being aware of it. Similarly, depending on the stage of the project (exploration, evaluation or impact), the guidance provided by the mentor will be totally different. As she says
   Cristiane Madureira
   He evaluates the team and the current state of the project before giving them concrete advice.

7. Guiding from experience: When we work with entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs or innovators in general, it is essential to have our own experience in similar projects. On the one hand, we will gain the respect of the people we work with; on the other hand, we will be able to give practical examples based on our own experience. As she says
   Carolina Marcone
   We are putting our experience at the service of the team’s learning.

8. Encourage and connect with the team: Developing an innovative initiative is difficult, the team often has very high but also very low moods. A good mentor needs to connect with the team, with its people, on an ongoing basis to support them from an emotional perspective and help them look for solutions in a rational way.
   Luis Marriott
   advises “motivate your team all the time, highs and lows are normal, try to help them understand the reasons for their mood and at the same time keep it as high as possible.”

9. Celebrate learning: Startups are entities that need to learn to find their fit with the market and/or how to scale their impact. This is why the fundamental unit of progress of startups is validated learning. Therefore, more than anything else, it is essential that we get used to celebrating with our teams when we obtain an important learning, whether it relates to a validation or invalidation of our previous hypotheses. As he says
   Paco Briseño
   encourages and celebrates the exploratory mindset and motivates conversations with clients as the primary source of learning.

10. Have the right mindset and offer it to the teams: The best way to evolve an organization or a project is to evolve the mindset of its teams. In fact, Purpose Launchpad is a mindset, a way of looking at the world that will allow us to explore new possibilities with an open mind and evaluate our innovative ideas keeping in mind that they are only hypotheses. Purpose Launchpad mentors are not only knowledgeable about the methodology but have incorporated the right mindset (which is encompassed in the eight Purpose Launchpad principles) throughout their experience and training. As he says
    Crystal To
    “having the right attitude, purpose-driven, purpose-oriented, exploration-oriented, learning-oriented, innovation-oriented, keeping the user at the center and open-minded.” Which we could complement with what he suggests
    
    Felipe Valdebenito
    
    “contribute to the transformation of the mentality of our teams”.

If there is one thing I have learned over the past few months, it is that extraordinary mentors must be prepared to learn from their mentees, to be mentored by their mentees, and to evolve their mindset as they try to evolve the mindset of the teams they help. Because Purpose Launchpad is just that: a mindset, a way of seeing the world, that allows us to make a massive impact.

Francisco Palao

P.S. Finally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the mentors who have been part of the first two editions of the
Purpose Launchpad Mentor Certification Program
for their trust, their dedication during these three months and for having taught me so much too. I recommend that you follow these people, their own initiatives and the projects they mentor from now on. I am sure they will create and help others to create a massive impact!

Purpose Launchpad Mentor Certification Program (1st edition in English) :

• Cristiane Madureira

• Crystal To

• Edwin moreno

• Eric Patel

• James drage

• Sanjay Ramanlal Gopal Bhana

• Suman Sasmal

• Vittorio Sommella

Purpose Launchpad Mentor Certification Program (1st edition)

• Carolina Marcone

• Felipe Valdebenito

• Joaquin Gonzalez del Pino

• Jose Tam

• Luis Marriott

• Paco Briseño

• Paola Hurtado Castillo placeholder image

• Francisco Martinez Garcia

Purpose Launchpad Mentor Certification Program (2nd edition en Español)

• Corina Almagro

• Julia Hitzbleck

• Michael Smits

• Matteo Pacini

• Paolo Maria Fincato

• Robyn Whittaker

• Shahin Enayati

• Tania Hodgkinson

Purpose Launchpad Mentor Certification Program (2nd edition in Spanish)

• Alvaro Espuny Contreras

• Ana Simon

• Beatriz Romanos Hernando

• Fernando De los Ríos

• Gilberto Grajales

• Linda Leslie Cortés Patiño

• Manel Fernandez Jaria

• Senen Porcar