Monday, August 29, 2011

Put Me In Coach!

As the new school year gets underway across the country I'm reminded of the anticipation of starting new things.  Whether it was a school, a sports team, or job, the mix of excitement and anxiety always gave me a rush. 

Look Around
Take a moment over the next couple of weeks and identify those new team members in your organization; particularly those early on in their careers.  They're living an emotional roller coaster lifestyle right now.  They are eager to learn and impress, and worried they might make a poor first impression and lose credibility before they even get started.  You and I need to intervene and serve as a mentor to help them along.  This doesn't have to be part of an official program; in fact, some of the best mentor/mentee relationships are informal which removes an additional layer of pressure on both parties to perform.

You Weren't Born in Management
As you consider your journey, consider who those important leaders were that helped you along the way.  Was it your supervisor, peer, or another experienced leader who saw potential in you and offered to help?  How do you pay it forward and support those that are hungry to progress in their careers at your company?



How About You (and me)
I think it's time to reach out to those that are excited and anxious in our organizations.  Let's make a difference in the life of a new leader, and in turn, make a difference in the life of our organizations at the same time.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.


pic courtesy of cafepress

1 comment:

  1. The idea that professionals lack the willingness to mentor others is particularly common in my profession (nursing). Most of us are familiar with the phrase "nurses eat their young". I have personally experienced this to some degree as a nursing student, a new RN, and now as a graduate student requiring mentorship from nurses in leadership roles. I have worked for the same organization for 11 years, yet finding a peer willing to devote the hours of mentorship required by my university has not been easy. Why is there an unwillingness, particularly in nursing, to offer those new to the profession insight, education, and training that only comes from being mentored in the field? The quote "knowledge is power" comes to mind - just a hypothesis - but I question if some feel as thought sharing knowledge with others equals a reduction in their own personal "power" (i.e. threatening their rank, position, etc.) - competitiveness versus camaraderie? Whatever the reason may be, the perception that nurses "eat their young" is detrimental to the reputation of nursing as a whole. It adds to job dissatisfaction and potentially affects the number of those entering into the profession.

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