Mentorship is a powerful tool for career growth and development, allowing individuals to broaden their career prospects. When implemented with thoughtful planning and coordination, mentoring can significantly change the trajectory of a person’s career, opening up new avenues and possibilities that might not otherwise be possible.
Mentors and mentees participating in SITE’s Young Leaders Mentoring Program share their best practices and successes to help make mentoring more successful.
1. Meet regularly and be prepared
Meeting Encore Managing Director Jenn Glynn is a mentor to Destination Canada Customer Engagement Manager Jeffrey Fehr. They have had team calls every 4-5 weeks since July and had lunch together during IMEX America in October. Fair will send an email ahead of their meeting to discuss the proposed agenda and what he sees as next steps.
“We started with a blank slate and no preconceived ideas about what I was going to do for him,” Green said. “I’ve been so impressed with the work he’s done during our time together. I’m grateful for that because our time is so valuable to both of us.
2. Set measurable goals
Glynn and Fehr agree that it’s important to identify metrics and realistic timelines.
For example, one of Fehr’s goals is to identify specific public speaking opportunities in 2025.
Rhonda Brewer, Motivation Excellence’s vice president of sales, coaches Brittney Cerrillos, the company’s travel program coordinator. In Cerrillos’ first year as vice president of youth leadership on the SITE Chicago chapter’s board of directors, one of her goals is to build a community of youth leaders and raise awareness. She launched a new initiative called “Work Together” for fellow youth leaders, many of whom work remotely.
3. Work hard to build relationships
Making personal connections is an important part of mentoring. Fair wanted to get to know his mentor better “so I could understand her skills and experience and see where we could work with each other.”
“I think building a relationship from the beginning is critical – building trust on a personal level,” he said. “That’s where the magic happens.”
The same goes for Cerrillos, who feels she developed an “amazing amount of trust” with her mentor. “Whenever Rhonda and I have a meeting together, I’m always happy to talk to her and I look forward to sharing what’s going on in my work life and personal life. That trust is really huge for me to be able to climax Be transparent about lows and lows.
4. Get out of your silo
The opportunity to mentor with people from different aspects of the business is valuable. “It gives you the ability to learn and understand all the different areas,” said Brewer, who has had previous trainees from the hospitality and gifting industries.
“It’s a valuable way to gain broader industry knowledge and become more well-rounded,” she says. “Also, people often jump from one side of the business to the other, so you never know where you’ll end up.”
5. Keep an open mind
One of Cerrillos’ “aha” moments in her coaching experience was the realization that anything was possible in her career. Last summer, for example, she was able to play a hybrid role. “It helped me realize that these were things I could actually do and expand opportunities that I wouldn’t necessarily have seen on my own.”
For more advice on mentoring, listen to “The Value of Mentoring” podcastThe latest episode of “20 Minutes of Women’s Leadership,” presented by global sources Cooperate with Place and the SITE Women’s Leadership Initiative.
