| Mentoring Dents the Glass Ceiling
by Alicia M. Rodriguez, M.A. Laurie Holloman knows the value of a good friend and mentor.
New to Fannie Mae and wanting to someone to help develop her strategic thinking skills, Laurie signed up for the Mentoring Program run by the Office of Diversity, Health and Work Life Initiative. Laurie's mentor, Mary Fran Tyler, helped her learn the ropes. In turn, Mary Fran, the Director of New Media at Fannie Mae, received more than she bargained for. In mentoring Laurie, Mary Fran discovered a way to give back to others while learning more about herself. "It was not the chore I thought it might be. It is like a neighbor talking over the fence. The idea is to capture the learning and pass it on," she says of their relationship.
For Laurie it was a way of becoming visible to other managers that might not otherwise know her and her skills.
Laurie, the Senior Manager of E-Business Solutions, says, "Mary Fran helps me explore options I may not be aware of in terms of my career development. She brainstorms with me and helps me deal with issues, resolve situations and provides direction for me to explore other areas of expertise I might not otherwise be exposed to." Mentoring provides a partner in a woman's success strategy. The relationship provides, what Laurie says, is a "sense that someone is looking out for me", a confidence-building asset in situations where one might otherwise feel isolated or disconnected.
Mary Fran echoes the sentiment of many professional women who have attempted to dent the glass ceiling.
"Women have not had enough 'locker room talk', she says. "We need to build these networks, to work together to advance our careers and improve our skills. Whether the mentoring is formal or informal, mentoring helps you make better choices, get objective feedback and get connected so you can move ahead in your career." However, not everyone has equal access to mentors. Although we know that having a mentor is instrumental to an individual's ability to rise up the ranks, Catalyst research consistently finds that women, particularly women of color, cite lack of mentoring as a critical barrier to achievement. For women, lack of access to 'locker room talk' has kept them out of the informal networking which so often exposes a person to higher management and pushes that person's achievements into the limelight. Without access to a guide to assist in navigating an organization's political landscape, learning the unwritten rules takes longer, is more difficult and is less forgiving.
Executive women, however, may be reluctant to pass the baton on to another woman.
Because of the struggle to break through barriers, those women who have achieved power and position may feel threatened by another woman rising up the ladder on the heels of their hard won success. "Well if women don't mentor other women, who will?" demands Michelle Hughes, Executive Director of the Anne Arundel County YWCA. A fervent advocate of empowering women, Michelle suggests that mentoring is critical to the next generation of women. "It is our obligation as women to be mindful of supporting women's leadership development by working with organizations who share the value of empowering and promoting women. At the Y, we have an obligation to help women get where they want to be. I call the highest ranking woman in any organization I deal with so she is sure to be acknowledged for the business we help her deliver to that organization."
Companies like Fannie Mae have discovered that mentoring is good for business. At Fannie Mae, women account for 60% of the participants in their mentoring program.
Cecilia Blacutt, who manages the mentoring program, explains, "A main goal of our program is to advance highly qualified employees, particularly women and minorities. Our program provides the opportunity to develop skills and address personal and professional growth. Mentoring helps employees work smarter, develop themselves and become better at their jobs. And this means more productivity and happier employees to Fannie Mae."
Nancy Badertscher of The
Association for Women in Communications alludes to the personal satisfaction gained by mentoring someone else. "Younger people don't realize how wonderful it is to be asked to be a mentor, to share what one has learned and experienced with others." An influential mentor can share experiences, contacts and wisdom that would not be available through normal channels. And as Nancy points out, you don't have to go far for a mentor but you do have to ask to be mentored.
If you are a woman who has achieved an advanced level of management or success in your career, consider being a mentor.
Choose someone you feel would value your experience and wisdom. If you are a woman seeking a mentor, choose someone you feel is a good role model that demonstrates the attributes and success that you would like to emulate. Be aware that a productive mentoring relationship takes commitment, time and mutual respect on the part of both the mentor and the protégée. And as Michelle Hughes points out, if women don't mentor women, who will? ***********
© Alicia M. Rodriguez, 2002. All rights reserved.
Please feel free to forward this on.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
***********
Reproduction for publication is approved, provided the copyright information is included along with the following attribution: by Alicia M. Rodriguez, M.A., Personal Coach, Soul Centered Life Management™, 410-544-5262 , E-Mail: aliciamr@sclmcoach.com and website: www.sclmcoach.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
