A Quarterly Newsletter

MENTORING - An Essential Element of Workplace Success

Being mentored by the right person is an important and viable bridge to success. The mentor guides his or her protege in developing skills, methods and work habits which the mentor developed painstakingly over an entire career. In effect, the mentor becomes the gateway to the business experts and resources her partner will need.

Mentoring can be a shortcut to career success because it provides a safe, protected environment in which one can learn. One benefits from the mentor's experience without having to go through the trial and error of learning those same lessons over the years; time is compressed, and mistakes don't have to be repeated. Valuable lessons, knowledge, attitudes and recognition of opportunities are passed on. Such subtleties as writing an effective letter, maintaining useful files and proper documentation, to the intricacies of approaching, managing and completing a multi-million dollar deal are all taught and encouraged in a non-threatening environment.

An equally important aspect of mentoring is teaching one's less experienced partner how to network and with whom to network. Frequently the mentor provides the introduction by taking her partner under her tutelage. This kind of endorsement provides an entree and an acceptance by other experienced business people that the younger person might take years to achieve on her own. In fact, she might never achieve that acceptance on her own because business cliques can be quite closed and intolerant of newcomers, particularly women.

When major decisions or choices arise, the mentor can be an effective source of advice and encouragement. Not only can the mentor size up most business situations, but she can evaluate skills, attributes, and natural talents. An evaluation of this degree is based on seasoned judgment and takes in to account where you would best fit and what the right choices are for you, not just as a business person, but as an individual.

Why do we need a Mentor?

Clearly, although lacking a mentor is not fatal, it certainly helps a great deal to have one, both in technical and conceptual sense. Learning from a mentor with a broad base of experience, you can rapidly gain a wealth of contacts. The barrier that women face, however, is that, for a variety of reasons, most men will not mentor women. So how does a woman get a mentor? Basically there are several routes:

Formal Mentoring Organizations. Women's Network for Entrepreneurial Training is a mentoring and support group. Sponsored by the Women's Business Office of the SBA, the organization links seasoned women business

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owners with women ready to grow their business.

Informal Mentoring Networks. No doubt about it, finding a mentor can be a challenge. Mentoring demands a broad base of experience, a high level of skills, and an ability to teach and nourish. Generosity and openness are required of a mentor. A second obstacle is the fact that there are many women who want and need to be mentored and few mentors to help them. Those in a position to mentor have reached a position where they have great demands on their time.

Each of the following approaches can add a piece to the mentoring puzzle which you are trying to solve:

The Direct Approach. Search out the person you admire most in your field, and one with whom you feel comfortable. Ask to speak to her at a convenient time. Then you can explain you know how busy she is, but you genuinely want to improve your skills and knowledge and ask her if she would be willing to spend a small amount of time . . . even 30 minutes a month, reviewing your situation and mapping out a path for your progress. Also, ask her about books to read or presentations to attend. Most people, however busy and important, are flattered by this approach and probably will be willing to help you. Some may not have time to see you in person but will gladly mentor you by email.

The Electronic Support System. Although not as warm and personal as a real, live mentor, sites on the net like Advancing Women, Women in Higher Education, or National Organization for Women were designed as an electronic support system for women to help them meet their many, multifaceted challenges. If you read and follow the advice provided, you will be reaping the benefit of successful women with deep experience who are, in effect, mentoring you electronically. If you want specific advice, ask for it. You can do this by writing to the editor and asking if the web site will address a particular issue. Preferably you should frame your questions in a way that the answers will apply to more than just one person. You can also put your questions on one of the bulletin boards and get an informative discussion going.

Mentor Yourself. At a recent meeting with some of the national leaders of the Women's Department in the Department of Labor, a regional director said she had met the mentoring challenge this way: "Everything you really need to know is inside yourself. You just have to focus on the areas you need to develop and then do whatever it takes to make yourself into the person you aspire to be." Although this approach may not give you everything you need, it certainly will increase your self reliance and take you a long way down the road to career success.

The reference source for this article was the AdvancingWomen.com web site.

• Developing the clarity to have the career you really want
• Developing strategies for career advancement or career transition
• Setting goals that are naturally motivating
• Taking action on a daily basis
• Waking up each day with enthusiasm
• Discovering what really motivates YOU

Reservations are required for the coaching sessions and space is limited. Reserve your space today by calling 423-439-7847 or e-mail your reservation to wrcetsu@preferred.com. The dates, times, and locations of the sessions are included in the WRC Calendar of Events on page 3.

THE HAITIAN GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES THAT 300,000 OF HAITI'S CHILDREN LIVE AS SLAVES

JOIN US … Thursday, October 11 at 7 p.m. in the Martha Street Culp Auditorium of the D. P. Culp University Center for an eye-opening, true story. "Restavec: From Haitian Slave Child to Middle-Class American" is the story of Jean-Robert Cadet's life as a child slave both in Haiti and the United States, his escape and his journey to become a college professor.

Cadet will discuss his work to establish the Restavec Foundation, and to educate others about slavery in the modern world. His story has been shared with the U.S. Senate, National Public Radio, CNN, and Time Magazine. Co-sponsors of this program are University Productions, Alpha Xi Delta Sorority, Center for Student Life and Leadership, Women's Resource Center, and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

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