Administrative Assistant's Update

7 Administrative Assistant's UPDATE Don't wait another day, find a mentor By Helen Latimer "I found a mentor!" was the news my client, Justine (name changed) was so eager to share with me. She had been looking for quite some time for a mentor to support her career development. While attending an event, she read the bio of one of the presenters and thought, "I want this person to be my mentor." After the presentation, Justine summoned her courage and approached her potential mentor with her request. Five minutes later, Justine had her mentor. Justine is not a manager or an executive so why does she feel she needs a mentor? Imagine having someone to talk to who cares about you, has knowledge and expertise about your industry or company, its culture and the work you do. And that person wants to help you develop your skills, build your confidence and guide you as you work to achieve your goals. Sounds good, right? Before seeking a mentor � � � Before you shoot off a text to a poten - tial mentor, a few things you should know: Mentoring is a relationship be- tween two people: one with more ex- perience/expertise (the mentor) and one looking to grow and develop (the mentee). It's a longer-term relation- ship, five, six months or more. Mentors guide, model and mo- tivate. They can be your sounding board, provide you with feedback, help you create options and introduce you to people. They can provide you with perspective and insight. Mentees listen, consider and act. Be ready to ask questions and be open to receiving feedback and informa- tion. As a mentee, you're responsible for setting your priorities and personal goals. You don't have to implement but you do have to act and take ownership of what your mentor is offering. Justine had identified technical skills as an area she wants to develop because she wants to move into more technical roles. She felt talking to someone with more experi- ence and knowledge could help her identify more op- tions. With that in mind, she kept looking until she found just the right person. Probably not your boss The right person to be your mentor is almost never your boss. Not that your boss can't be a fantastic resource for you, it's just that someone you don't report to can bring a new perspective. Some companies have established mentoring programs, in which case finding a mentor is a text away. For Justine, that wasn't the case so she had to find her own mentor. Lots of people find their mentor in their own organization. Think senior admins, managers or colleagues in other areas of the company or someone who works for a supplier. Professional associations and schools can be good sources too. Source of growth for you both Mentoring can be a tremendous source of growth, for you and your mentor. A mentor I worked with a few years ago was an amazing role model for me. She helped me expand my network, served as a sounding board and referred me to resources and people. Justine's mentor has already in - vited her to a technology event. She's on her way! Additional resources Making the Most of Being Mentored, by Gordon F. Shea; Thanks for the Feedback: The science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well, by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen. Helen Latimer is a dynamic keynote speaker, coach and facilitator/workshop leader. She loves to share her expertise on mentoring, networking, personal branding and career development in pursuit of her goal of having everyone love their work. Principal of 925 Resources, www.925resources.com, helen@925resources.com Correction Correction to story that appeared in the Feb 2018 edition of AAU ("Admins edge: finance skills," page 4): Last year, Evelyn Serbout worked with city counterparts and external vendors to assist on a census project. AAU regrets the error. Helen Latimer Credit: Trueffelpix (Shutterstock)

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