Michelle always wanted to be a reporter and dreamed of working for a television station. She was fresh out of school and had some experience working in the newsroom. When she began working as a research specialist, Michelle was surrounded by reporters she idealized and admired. One of them was Joan. Joan had been at the network for 10 years as a news anchor and reporter. She was the perfect mentor for Michelle.
The two hit it off immediately, and Joan spent time helping Michelle gain the necessary skills to fulfill her dream. Joan admitted that when she started, she had to go it alone and often felt like no one was there to support and advise her. Things changed for Joan when a coworker offered suggestions and helped her to find the confidence to apply for a job as a reporter. Joan got the job and to this day thanks her mentor for giving her support. Like her mentor, Michelle vows to help other women in the workplace.
Women need mentors — specifically, other women who are willing to take the time to help them make it on the job. Recent research from The WomenSpeak Project shows that women of all ages can be extremely competitive and negative when it comes to younger women entering a profession. In this study, women reported feeling isolated and alone on the job. They also reported they could not burden others with their workplace issues and concerns. This attitude makes it difficult for women to mentor and be mentored, even when the opportunity is there for the taking. If employers do not use mentoring techniques, they can face the costs of high turnover rates and ineffective job performance.
Fortunately, women today are becoming aware of the importance of being helped as well as helping others. By watching good role models, women have learned how to be good mothers, good wives, and good friends. But what about the myriad of other matters women deal with, such as employment and career moves, investing, and healthcare issues? Where can the average woman share her feelings? Who will answer her hard questions? Women need to find mentors, role models to offer advice on career, education, parenting, and other life skills. A good mentor or coach can make one's job rewarding and productive.
Having or acting as a mentor in the workplace does not involve an exchange of money. Instead, a mentor provides free advice and a relationship based on mutual respect. A mentor can prevent a world of headaches, and it is worth searching for someone with the knowledge and experience one needs.
Volunteer mentors can be in short supply in some areas, and this has given rise to the new and trendy position of "life coach." Coaches can help with business, executive challenges, sales, academics, management, or any aspect of one's personal life. They can help others attain goals and deliver maximum performance on the job.
To find a mentor, look at your community. Is there someone you admire for her skills or success? Invite her to coffee or on a walk, or just call and ask for her advice. Everyone likes to feel admired. Developing this relationship may take some time and effort, but it will help you, as well as your mentor, in return.
There's no shame in needing help now and then. A good mentor has so much to offer in terms of experience and training that you are bound to learn, grow, and excel in your field. For more information about mentoring or finding a coach, talk with your friends and colleagues or search the Internet.
You can also take the initiative and start a mentoring program in your company. Here are some simple ways to get started:
- Send out a questionnaire to all the women in your organization to gauge their interest in starting a women's mentoring program. This can be sent through your human resources department or from a supervisor or department leader. If there seems to be a lot of interest in such a program, find some leaders who can help put one together.
- Search the Internet for information on local women's professional organizations. See if they have any existing mentoring programs. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel. If there are local programs, you can encourage other women in your organization to come along and join with you.
- If there aren't any programs in place locally, you may want to consider starting your own. Understand the purpose of such a program, and define guidelines and membership policies. This should be a voluntary, supportive group of professional women who seek to help other women coming into the profession.
- Determine the focus of the mentoring program you will create. There should be regularly scheduled meetings, whether once a week or once a month or even once a quarter. The meeting place can be as professional as a conference room or as casual as a coffee shop. Create a system or form that will allow members to pair up based on similar interests and needs.
- Foster the relationships created in the mentoring program by checking in with members for feedback. Encourage them to meet one on one, build relationships, and meet outside the office for advice and bonding. Networking parties, local charity events, and organizational meetings are ways that mentors and mentees can learn more about their industry.
Mentoring helps build a healthy workforce and ensures that new, excited, and trained women come up through the ranks.
About the Author
Nancy D. O'Reilly, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist, researcher, and founder of the online resource WomenSpeak.com. A member of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Nancy counsels others on topics ranging from mental health and stress to relationships and careers. She is the author of You Can't Scare Me: Women Speak About Growing Older in a Youth-Oriented Society and recently began hosting a radio program on Voice America called Courageous WomenSpeak. For more information, visit her website, www.womenspeak.com, or call 417-860-5834.
