John Kim of Syncis - How to Become an Effective Mentor

John Kim, Co-Chairman of Syncis, an independent insurance marketing organization was born in South Korea and grew up under difficult financial circumstances. He migrated to the United States in 1984 and studied psychology at the Monterrey Institute of International Studies in Monterrey, California.

John Kim co-founded Syncis in 2009 but had actually entered the financial services industry in 1997. He spent ten years building a successful sales organization and received many titles, recognition, and awards for his work. During those ten years, he built a strong client base and mentored several individuals who went on to become six-figure earners. Here are a couple of tips on how to become an effective mentor.

Develop the Relationship
The first step in becoming an effective mentor is to develop and build the relationship. This means that you have to access your readiness and interest in mentoring someone, choosing someone to mentor and taking the time to build the relationship with that person. It takes time to build a relationship, which means you have to work to build the trust with the person you are mentoring. You will also need to set goals and keep your mentoring relationship on track.

Sponsoring
As a mentor, you will need to create opportunities or open doors where you can allow your mentee to develop his skills and gain valuable exposure. Create new opportunities for him and connect him with other people in your network. In other words, you need to create and provide the platform where your mentee can grow.

Monitor the Environment
An effective mentor will keep a watchful eye on the things around the mentee, looking for both positive opportunities and negative or threatening situations. You should be on the lookout for any rumors, adversarial positions and other situations that could threaten the mentee and help him or her safely navigate their way through the situation.

Counseling and Guidance
Mentoring a person means that you make yourself available to counsel and guide your mentee. As you build the relationship you will need to be a personal advisor and confidant to the person you mentor. You will have to help your mentee understand how to find alternative solutions to deal with problems. If your mentee has poor behavioral problems, you will need to work to help him overcome those issues so that he can fit into any organizational culture.

Teaching
Every mentor enjoys the fact that they can teach and impart knowledge to those they are mentoring. Teaching means that they impart knowledge, share their experiences, and recommend assignments for the mentee. It gives the mentee the opportunity to put into practice what they have learned.

John Kim Syncis mentored several individuals prior to co-founding Syncis in 2009.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/30/mentor-coach-executive-training-leadership-managing-ccl.html

John Kim of Syncis - Building A Successful Organization

John Kim of Syncis got into the financial services industry because of an act of God. In 1994 he was operating a successful auto parts business in the Los Angeles area when the region was hit by a 6.7 earthquake.

That event, the infamous Northridge earthquake, caused widespread damage throughout the San Fernando Valley, a densely populated area northwest of downtown L.A. Fifty-seven people lost their lives in the quake, and property damage was extensive; as it turned out, the Northridge earthquake was the costliest in U.S. history.

All told, damages were estimated at more than twenty billion dollars. That included the damage done to John Kim’s parts warehouse; most of the company’s inventory was lost. Then things went from bad to worse: “Did not know at the time that insurance coverage was not adequate and that damaged inventory would eventually shut down the business,” he recalls.

Forced to start over from scratch, John Kim of Syncis had to find and pursue other opportunities. Before long he was introduced to the financial services industry, and began to study it closely to see if he could make a go of it. “Spent the next two years studying for securities exams and obtaining licenses to provide financial services.”

He found work in financial services in 1997, and for the next ten years built a large and successful sales organization. His team was good enough to win many awards and other recognition. Along the way he accumulated thousands of clients and began mentoring others, who went on to become six figure earners.

In spite of his financial success, John Kim of Syncis grew dissatisfied with the way large financial service organizations operated, so he left to establish a new business. “Syncis was established in 2009 in partnership with Les Schlais,” John Kim says today. It has grown into one of the top financial marketing organizations in the United States, making financial products and services more accessible to middle-income families.

What sets Syncis apart from other financial services companies is the commitment to helping individuals, families and business owners understand basic financial concepts. Their goal from the start, John Kim says, “was to create a business that was focused on establishing a relationship with clients and fostering understanding before anything else. This background is the reason why Syncis associates are encouraged to never sell anything or close a deal before meeting with the individuals/families multiple times. This process is meant to make sure they trust the representative and understand the products.” This commitment is reflected in the company’s motto: “strengthening families with trust and understanding.”

Syncis associates, says John Kim Syncis, understand that many of their clients are overwhelmed by the complexity of financial service products. That is why they are encouraged not to sell anything when they first meet with a new client. That way, the client is able to make his or her own assessment of their own situation and make an informed decision, without any sales pressure.