As a stripper once said,
“God doesn’t make junk.” Our bodies: the blood, the nerves,
the lymph system, even the brain are all a series of
networks. As those of you who read my work must know – I
love networks of all kinds. This time we’re looking at your
network of mentors,
Picking one mentor is not
enough nowadays. I love to answer specific questions in my
“Ask Dr. Karen” column. With a very busy life, I can’t
really mentor every person who contacts me. So what’s a
protégé in need to do?
Take the Initiative:
Ask people you admire, like bosses and peers, if they
would be willing to mentor you from time to time.
Co-workers or bosses can be equally useful. These can
even be people who are strangers. TEST out the
relationship by asking some questions to see if you
appreciate that the answers might be useful to you and
your career. Be careful to not come across as flirting.
Stay upbeat and personable:
Mentors and others want to support you when they feel
positive around you.
Make it simple:
As a protégé, you get to put in the time and effort to
learn about possible mentors’ interests and needs. A
protégé of mine in Jamaica invited me to Kingston to
interview with radio and television to talk about my
books.
Ask if you can stop by from time to time:
It’s good for your mentor to meet with you regularly to
understand your context and to ask questions. As you
share information, a mentor will start to understand
your current “story line” in your current job. For
instance, after suggestions, let your mentor know how
you fared on the advice.
Clarify your personal career goals:
As you work with a mentor, describe where you would like
to do in your career. Make sure that you’ve done a
careful inventory of your skills and experiences so that
your mentor will know how to advise you in expanding
them.
These guidelines are heavily adapted from the Wall Street
Journal, Monday, August 17th, 2009 p.R5 “How to
be a Smart Protégé” by Dawn E Chandler, Douglas .T Hall and
Kathy E. Kram. Drs. Hall and Kram were my mentors when I
was an active member of the Boston University Executive
Development Roundtable.
You Have
More Connections to More People than you Think
Stanley Milgram, a researcher
at Yale University, conducted several unusual experiments in the
1960s. One project involved selecting an obscure name in a
distant US state and then asking nearly three hundred students
to work at finding this person’s contact information. He found
that the greatest number of people that his students had to
contact to reach anyone, anywhere in the country, was six.
Although Dr. Milgram’s theory has yet to be scientifically
proven, its message has made headway into popular culture. It is
now often said that there are only “six degrees of separation”
between each of us and most anyone in the world. What a fabulous
resource we have!
So, how can you use that resource in the workplace? It’s no
exaggeration to say that through all your potential connections
you can learn about or accomplish most anything. Someone out
there will know what you need to know, or be able to help you
with what you need to do. If you want to find the best person
for a project, or get support for a workplace initiative, to
name just two possibilities, and you don’t already know someone
who can help you, then the first thing to do is to start putting
your feelers out.
One high level executive wanted to meet some influential people
in government in Washington D.C. to get support for legislation
that his company sorely needed. So the executive mapped all the
people he knew in his company, and then asked these associates
to make a map of their direct and indirect connections with
people in the government. Next, he asked for introductions to
some of these connections to consult with them directly. He
quickly found the right people to network with to obtain the
required introductions.
The place to start is with your existing network. This consists
of all the professional colleagues whom you feel able to
approach with a question or issue. It may be a small group of
like-minded people whom you have known over the years, ranging
from college classmates and professors to former colleagues. You
can rely on people with whom you have a good relationship to
introduce you to others whom they trust and respect.
Once you have the contact, accessing information and advice, or
exerting influence, is easier than ever with the internet. The
speed and ease of forwarding make it an ideal way to reach
people anywhere in the world. Be aware however that when someone
is further away from you, personally or geographically, you may
need a put a “frame,” or explanation, around your request to
help others understand your thinking. You may also need to be
more formal in tone. Be sure to check on the communication and
networking protocol of other countries.
One savvy American executive wanted to hire a general manager to
run his company’s Chinese business. His first step was to ask
everyone he knew in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong to suggest
candidates. He then checked their suggestions with head-hunters.
Having tracked down the ideal person, the American then used his
newly extended Chinese network to work on convincing the desired
executive that the position was right for him. Impressed by the
offer and the American’s guanxi, or connections, the Chinese
executive took the job.
There are many examples of how using the six degrees of
separation rule can help you make things happen. Connections are
endlessly useful at work, and absolutely essential in some
cultures. Using them is not just about accessing facts,
knowledge or staff. People with different backgrounds or
experiences can also help you think through your work or ideas,
by offering you alternative perspectives. Such touchstones are
invaluable.
CITIZENS FOR
AFFORDABLE
ENERGY
www.CitizensForAffordableEnergy.org
The Four Mores: Educating citizens and
government officials about
pragmatic, non-partisan
affordable energy solutions,
Environmental Protection, energy
alternatives, efficiency,
infrastructure, public policy,
competitiveness, social
cohesion, and quality of life.
Vital Voices Global Partnership
believes in the transformative
value of women's participation
in society. We invest in
emerging women leaders -
pioneers of economic
development, political
participation, and human rights
in their countries - and we help
them build the capabilities,
connections, and credibility
they need to unlock their
potential as catalysts of global
progress.
To
fulfill our mission, we build
leadership capacity, facilitate
strategic partnerships,
recognize women leading change
and enhance their credibility,
and foster global connections
among women.
Our Global Leadership Network of
women has become the vital
voices of our time.
TAHIRIH WINS 2007 WASHINGTON POST
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN
NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT
The mission of the
Tahirih Justice
Center is to enable women and girls who face gender based
violence to access justice. The Center engages in direct
litigation, public policy advocacy, and education and outreach
to ensure systematic change that protects women and girls from
violence.
•
For
Customized Executive Assessments,
email Dr.Otazo for more information
Why Don't They Follow Me? gives you 12
simple to understand leadership lessons
which cut through all the baloney and get
you results fast. Get some practical take-aways
anyone can use:
