As I wrote in “Mastering a High-Value Company Culture,” my path from frontline HR in quick service to commanding HR operations in blue-chip automotive companies was molded in part by mentors such as Lillian and Joan. What I saw them do showed me just how strong mentorship can be, particularly for Black women in corporate environments. Allow me to reveal tips for developing and developing such important professional relationships.
Learning About Varying Types of Mentorship
Traditional Mentorship
From my experience, traditional one-on-one mentoring affairs deliver:
- Profession guidance and planning
- Industry information
- Real-time feedback about development
- Skill development
- Exposure
Peer Mentorship
As I wrote about in my book’s section on creating high-performance teams:
- Learning and supporting each other
- Solutions shared and experiences
- Real-time problem-solving
- Networking
- Emotional encouragement
Sponsor Relationships
The most effective form of mentorship comes in the form of sponsors who:
- Fearlessly champion your career progression
- Bring about new opportunity
- Contribute political capital
- Assign high-priority work
- Give access to senior leaders
Acquiring Appropriate Mentors
Based on my experiences in driving organizational transformations:
1. Look Beyond Obvious Candidates
- Look at mentors in contrasting departments
- Get viewpoints from contrasting industries
- Don’t restrict yourself to gender and race
- Search for complementary expertise
- Look for virtual mentorship
2. Form Nurturing Relationships
- Attend and join professional groups
- Attend events
- Engage in employee groups
- Volunteer for cross-functional work
- Engage in company programs
3. Be Purposeful
- Determine your developing requirements
- Research your potential mentors
- Prepare your elevator speech
- Have a transparent purpose
- Showcase your value offering
Cultivating Mentorship Relationships
From my section about trust and transparency:
Set Expectations
- Set your meeting schedule
- Set your preferred communications
- Set your confidentiality boundary
- Set specific goals
- Review and revise as necessary
Be a Good Mentee
- Attend prepared for meetings
- Deliver on commitments
- Express gratitude
- Respect boundaries
- Report your progress
Respect Professional Boundaries
- Stay development focused
- Respect confidentiality
- Respect time
- Keep communications professional
- Respect the relationship
Building Value in Mentoring Relationships
For Mentees
- Empower yourself in your development
- Report your wins and trials
- Request specific feedback
- Apply suggestions
- Show gratitude
For Mentors
- Offer experiences and insights
- Offer feedback
- Open your networks
- Acknowledge mentee success
- Embody continued growth
The Value of Having Multiple Mentors
What I discovered over my career:
- Varying mentors for various requirements
- Differing experiences and outlooks
- Wider access to networks
- Varying skill development
- Full range of support
Giving Back
Be sure to:
- Mentor in return as you move forward
- Give your learnings
- Provide opportunity
- Construct inclusive networks
- Give support
Building Your Mentorship Program
1. **Evaluation**
- Determine development requirements
- Define career aspirations
- Examine current network
- Define gaps
- Prioritize
2. **Action Program**
- Target proposed mentors
- Formulate approach strategy
- Formulate meeting structure
- Formulate measurable objectives
- Monitor improvements
3. **Regular Check-in**
- Analyze relationship efficacy
- Modify approaches as applicable
- Acknowledge success
- Overcome obstacles
- Map out future
Conclusion
Mentorship is a strong tool for career growth, most specifically for Black women in working environments. What you build today can extend not only your career but also for future followers. Remember, as I wrote in my book, high-value cultures don’t build themselves and require deliberate work and real relationships.
For mentoring guidance in developing effective mentoring relationships and high-value cultures, contact Che’ Blackmon Consulting at admin@cheblackmon.com . We enable professionals and companies to realize their full potential through deliberate relationships and real leadership.
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