Sylvia Ann Hewlett has kindly posed the question about the
critical role that mentors play in our life right on the cover page of her
book. OK, it's in brackets and shaded, but it's there. The key area she focuses
on is, of course, sponsorship and tactics to land and leverage a powerful
sponsor. But is the era of mentoring over?
Mrs. Hewlett argues that careers depend on sponsors, and
surrounding oneself with mentors, who give advice and groom you but don't have
the power over your promotions or plum assignments, is a losing strategy. She
does point out the benefits of mentoring, while writing it off as an
asymmetrical, one-way type of relationship, where the energy and benefits flow
only towards the mentee. Sponsorship, says Hewlett, is a balanced relationship
where the "protégée" pays back
with loyalty and stellar performance. I wish to settle somewhere in the middle.
The idea of seeking someone mighty to advance one's career means that you
actually care about your career more than your own development. The book is
full of real stories and practical advice --- my only question is what's the
key audience.
My biggest frustration with the book was that I cannot buy x
number of copies of "Forget a Mentor. Find a Sponsor" and bring it to
a general training on personal branding, career management or organizational
behavior. It's too heavily skewed towards women, and I am afraid it won't talk
to men. It does include a few stories about men, racial and LGBT minorities,
but it more feels like cole slaw next to a burger: you haven't asked for it,
but look - there it is. On the other hand, next time I am organizing a female
issues event, I am definitely using it as a resource: easy-to-read, actual,
witty, lots of reflection questions and tools. But back to the matter of
mentoring.
I was lucky to have a few really great mentors in my life. I was
not looking for them - it sort of happened naturally. That's the best - when
mentors come into your life when you need them and leave when the relationship
is organically over. My first serious mentor was a social affairs officer at
the regional administration office; a woman who knew how to leverage
relationships, had an extensive network of outrageously useful contacts, loved
guitar ballads over a camp fire and took an interest in my development. There
was very little I could offer in return - we did not even work for the same
organizations: actually, I was a student. What I could offer was my personality
and enthusiasm.
While working at Shell, I got my first official mentor. It was
sort of match-making: one day my big VP boss came to me and said that she'd
found me a great mentor: a business development director, in charge of joint
venture relations at the time. A jovial guy, he told me a lot about the business
side of what we were doing, but the relationship never developed: we were too
different and there was little that bound us together.
My personal relations with my mentors made me squint when I read
"Forget the Mentor" in the title. The author says that affinity is
not really required in your sponsorship relations. Then it starts feeling a bit
too manipulative and calculative for my liking. Maybe it's just me not being so
career-oriented. Or me having had sponsors who were my mentors at the same time?
I have to agree that corporate-sponsored mentoring programs don't work but
natural mentors have your best interests in mind and can bat for you when
needed. Isn't that what we should be striving for?
Resume: a nice-to-read book, I stick to my opinion of the
value of natural mentors that I would prefer to the over-engineered tactics of
landing a sponsor. Some good ideas on personal branding, and a really nice
collection of personal career stories. Not something I would re-read, but might
be good to jot down a few key ideas and questions. For instance, the personal
brand questionnaire - have a go at it!
- How am I innately different from my peers?
- What about my background, experience, or schooling makes me unique?
- What do I do exceptionally well? In what skill sets do I have the black belt?
- What is my currency? What skill sets do I have that set me apart?
- What experiences distinguish me?
- How does my perspective differ from that of others? What informs my perspective that does not inform theirs?
- What approach do I bring to solving thorny problems? How might this approach distinguish me from my peers?
- What accomplishment has given me joy and won me accolades? What gives me satisfaction so that I want to do more of it?
