Nicole Tran, Au.D. and fellow eMMissary, lays out some simple tips and thoughts regarding professional development and mentoring. In particular, she focuses on the needs of female officers after reflecting on a deliberate session she and others had last summer. Read on!
On a warm summer, COVID-stricken day, in San Antonio, Texas, eight women walk into a bar… well, a room… well, a hotel dining area… but none of that matters. Eight junior Army officers came together collectively to discuss their perceptions of mentorship. It was joyful to experience a sense of community and connection surrounding our professional development and mentorship. The key points that we talked about were: how to find a mentor, how we hope to develop through the mentorship relationship, and advice for new leaders.
FINDING THE RIGHT MENTOR
There was much discussion about how to develop or solicit the mentorship relationship. Most officers have developed coaching relationships with a senior commander, supervisor, or academic instructor. However, many participants openly shared that they were unsure how to find a mentor without the academic relationship. They also expressed how they were not comfortable with a mentor being within their chain of command. Fittingly, 30% reported seeking a job-specific mentor. Still, the other 70% said they would be happy to connect with a mentor of a different profession, status, and even a different military branch. A majority said they would accept a mentor of lower rank who had more experience, and about half had a same-gender mentor preference. The remaining participants, who would accept a different-gender (male) mentor, want him to be mindful of gender differences and gender expectations and not shy away from addressing such topics. Collectively, the women reported wanting to find mentors that are:
trustworthy
honest and open
able to speak candidly
available to commit time to the relationship
unbiased
able to see the bigger picture
Some also expressed the desire to feel pursued by a mentor, share some commonalities, and receive respect as a person, officer, leader, and woman.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS
"Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it's holy ground. There's no greater investment." - Stephen Covey
In an effort to develop themselves and become better leaders, these young professionals reported that they would appreciate mentorship related to the following areas:
career progression
broadening assignment direction
area of concentration (AOC) specific assistance
transitioning from student to leader support
leader(ship) development
instruction on how to lead others (i.e., being approachable or dealing with conflict)
advice on work/professional/personal issues.
interpersonal guidance to develop confidence and proficiency in their roles
networking and relationship-building skills
Some passionate topics of discussion included developing the self-awareness and confidence to have strength as a leader without being seen as emotional (e.g., too meek or too aggressive).
Each officer understood that the mentorship relationship is a two-way street and agreed that the mentee needs to communicate their needs and be flexible with scheduling. All of the women expressed that they must be open, authentic, and vulnerable with the mentor. If not, they likely will not receive pointed and necessary guidance they seek. Consequently, they need to be prepared to accept constructive criticism and honest feedback.
ADVICE FOR NEW LEADERS
Although these women are seeking mentorship themselves, they also have the desire to be mentors to others. Based on their personal experiences and what they have learned thus far, they shared advice that could help other female leaders and possibly their future mentees. Advice is as follows:
have self-discipline
be accountable to yourself and others
have compassion with boundaries and uphold the standards
it’s okay to be vulnerable and make mistakes
be approachable and treat others with kindness and dignity
sit next to someone or go on a walk with them to be more relaxed and approachable
care about your subordinates and ask how they truly are
be the bridge to bring people together
Lastly, and significantly important, one officer (a Mental Health Professional) advised us to be mindful of mental health concerns by watching for warning signs. It’s essential we ask certain questions directly and engage in the challenging conversations that could result in saving a life.
CONCLUSION
These bright, dedicated, and professional women are ready for mentorship. They described how excited they are for their upcoming leadership roles and would like to be equipped with skills and resources to advocate for those they lead. Those who were unsure of how to approach or solicit mentorship reported feeling encouraged and empowered to use the focus group’s tactics. These young women have a strong desire for personal growth - which may also be true in your organization if you recently welcomed new personnel! Now is the time to help them blossom. Perhaps a method to employ is establishing the support of mentorship relationships in our organizations by connecting all new personnel with someone that can potentially be a mentor. This may provide an opportunity for the relationship to develop, or at a minimum, establish the precedence of importance in a mentorship relationship.
p.s., I’m happy to report that since the focus group concluded one of the participants said she was highly motivated to seek mentorship and asked a senior ranking officer to be her mentor!
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