mentorship

Susan M Barber Coaching & Consulting, LLC > Blog > mentorship

The Benefits and Impacts of Having Senior Leader Conversations

In the article, How to Have Meaningful Discussions with Leaders Above You, I shared what to do to prepare to have a great conversation with a senior leader and the importance of doing it well. Today is about what the benefits can be for you when you have these types of conversations.  Gain insights: Senior leaders have extensive experience and knowledge in their industry and organization, so talking to them can give you valuable insights about the industry, the company, and…
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Look for New Ways To Show Value

Renee worked hard and loved to be the one who had all the answers. She prided herself on her subject matter expertise and it made her feel important that she had the information that others needed. As Renee discussed her career goals with her manager, he mentioned a new project he wanted to her to lead. He asked her if she had documented all the processes and procedures in her area so that there would be a good handoff should…
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What Do You Need To Have A Powerful Mentor Relationship?

I remember the initial stress I felt when I had been assigned a VP business mentor. It was a benefit of being in a leadership program which seemed really great until I had to think about what to say to her. Up until that time, I had only met with mentors who were in IT, so we had a common language and understanding about what our roles were. There were three reasons this mentor meeting brought me a bit of…
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What Makes Sense When You Are Selecting a Mentor?

Do you have a mentor in mind for yourself? Would you describe them as someone who is similar to you and your style? It is common to look for people who are further ahead in their career with a strong personal brand, but in many ways they are just like us. Choosing a mentor who was exactly like me is what happened in my career. I didn’t think about it that way at the time. I just saw this female leader…
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Do you Want a Mentor or Sponsor? Here is What you Need to Do

Sue Barber mentor

If you are a strong performer, you will look for opportunities to get high exposure projects to show your value. The goal you have is to do a good job, but isn’t it also to get noticed for your next role? At this point, you may hear that you should get yourself a mentor or sponsor to help you progress in your career. They can help you make progress faster than you would be able to do on your own. Mentors provide perspectives for…
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Are You Leveraging Your Workforce in the Best Way?

Mary had been at the company for over 20 years. She progressed through different areas of the company and into holding more senior-level responsibilities over her career there. She was a super-connector and everyone respected her. Tom, who was Mary’s manager, thought she would be a great person to mentor Josh who was just getting started in the company.  He was a few years out of college, but already had multiple internships and one other role before joining the company.  He was…
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Do You Want to Take Some Great Advice?

Whenever you need a little advice, it is great to have a someone to reach out to inspire or motivate you.  This article by Ruchika Tulshyan shares the career advice from eight Seattle women who have found success as they have risen to the executive levels.  Although each one shares a different view on what has made them successful, it is great to take the lessons that they have learned and reflect how they may apply in your own career.  Here…
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Monday Morning Leadership Q&A – 1/22/18

Client Question: “My manager suggested that I get a mentor to help me learn more about the business.  I think it is a great idea, but I am not sure how to find one or what to say to them?” Let’s start with the feedback you got from your manager.  There are usually two types of feedback you receive on learning about the business:  Focus more on learning more about the business in general or learning about a specific part…
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Do You Want to Make a Difference? Be a Mentor.

I am sure you have heard the old saying “Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime.” I see this with my children every day. For example: teaching them how to make their favorite meals, how to do laundry, managing money and making their own doctor appointments. I want them to learn some independence and be ready to do some of these things on their own. Parents…
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Are Leaders Doing Enough to Prepare Others?

Leaders have a lot of expectations placed upon them when they take the role.  They have a team to develop, projects to deliver, strategies to define and keeping their stakeholders happy.   What about the other expectations that are not always so obvious?   Yesterday’s post focused on some of these expectations in terms of body language and behavior that leaders need to focus on.   Another unwritten expectation is that you should help, support and guide others.   How can you share what…
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