The Mentor Ladder

Mentor:

noun: an experienced and trusted advisor

verb: advise or train (someone, especially a younger or less experienced colleague)

I once heard someone describe the metaphorical career ladder to include always reaching UP to someone (a mentor) and always reaching BACK to help bring someone else up the ladder (mentee).  I love this imagery so very much.

It's very "pay it forward" and perpetuates the valuable and necessary cycle of mentoring across generations.  Taking what we've learned - our successes, failures, knowledge, resources, and strategies - and sharing it with someone else.  It's so incredibly valuable, selfless, and fruitful.

In my professional life, there have been two key mentors I'll never forget, and to whom I'll always be exceedingly grateful.  One is named Kathy and she was my first manager at my first "big girl job" out of college.  With Kathy, I quickly figured out that she was not going to tolerate any gossip or bad-mouthing or drama.  While so many peers kept the gossip mill spinning, she was having none of it.  

If I came to her with a concern or complaint about another person, we discussed it factually and objectively.  She modeled polished professionalism that I immediately admired and wanted to achieve.  She gave me encouragement when I had much self-doubt.  She recognized my abilities that went beyond my job description and allowed me to take on additional challenges and responsibilities.  She was my manager for only 15 months, but has had a lasting impact on me and on my career.

The second key mentor, another woman, is named Jeanette.  The owner of a small business, she is a sales dynamo, decisive, and takes no shit. Accessible and open to input, she commanded attention and respect while truly caring about her employees and intentionally building a strong work culture and rewards program with her "work hard, play hard" mentality.  When Jeanette and I were in social situations outside of the office, she would introduce herself by saying "I work with Angie" - not mentioning she owned the business!

She, too, saw my potential beyond my current role, and gave me the chance to spread my wings. I worked for/with her for 14 years and would have retired from her company had she not sold it. I started as a part-time project manager and wound up as the Director of Operations, HR, and Project Management - by far the greatest period of growth in my career.

The common denominators between these two women included:

• they truly listened
• they were unthreatened by strong performers, but instead saw them as assets
• they challenged me, recognizing and drawing out my potential, and pushed me to continually pursue excellence and improvement

Recently, I was promoted to manage operations for the division I work in at my current employer.  The number of people reporting to me has more than doubled.  It's a major increase in workload - just managing that many people - since I have regular one on ones with each of them (at least twice a month), and they are regularly asking for my input, approval, and/or direction.

But what I learned from both Kathy and Jeanette is what I call "boomerang management" (I don't think that's a thing, by the way).  When people come to me with questions (after they've been in their role awhile), I try to not always just give them the answer.  I try to get them to recognize the knowledge they have and build their confidence by simply saying, "What do you think?"  Or if they don't know what to do, I might say, "What would you do if I wasn't here today?"

I had a one on one recently with Jeanette, who is a consultant for my current employer.  I came out of that meeting feeling energized, determined, and supported.  And then my next thought was that I want the people on my team to feel that way after our one on ones.  It's my goal and my duty to pour into them, listen to them, challenge them, hold them accountable, and encourage professional development in them.

Leadership and mentoring is really a revolving door, constant give and take.  I just marvel when I think about the everlasting chain of mentorship that started long before I was born, but continues to impact my life even now.  What good are we if we take everything we've learned and struggled through and just keep it to ourselves?  Where would be without those who mentored us?  Not nearly as wise nor polished for sure.