Even Successful People Need Mentoring
From January 2005
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But what about the mentors? What did Vanderhoef and Krevans gain from the time they invested?
“I’ve learned a lot from James,” says Krevans. “It’s a two-way street.” She counseled Conforti on operational and organizational challenges that expanded his knowledge of the external market. “He never loses sight of the market,” she says.
Mentors also can gain great personal satisfaction. “One of the greatest pleasures for me is watching people grow professionally,” Vanderhoef says. “This is the way I work, and I enjoy it.”
Vanderhoef and Krevans both mentor numerous professionals in their organization. Five of the people Vanderhoef has mentored have gone on to become presidents at other University of California campuses.
Krevans receives frequent requests, especially from women, for career advice. “I’ve never said no,” she says. “It’s flattering when people come to you for advice.”
Mentoring Challenges
Mentoring is not without its challenges. The biggest issue for both these mentoring partners was finding the time to meet. “Larry’s running the university. I run the theatre company, teach and parent,” says Shannon. “Finding that hour every six to eight weeks is really hard.”
How do they do it? By making mentoring a priority and getting the most out of their time. “With a limited amount of time, you need to make sure that it’s focused time. Our discussions are very focused on specific areas and goals,” notes Conforti. “That way we can maximize our time.”
Continued...
“I’ve learned a lot from James,” says Krevans. “It’s a two-way street.” She counseled Conforti on operational and organizational challenges that expanded his knowledge of the external market. “He never loses sight of the market,” she says.
Mentors also can gain great personal satisfaction. “One of the greatest pleasures for me is watching people grow professionally,” Vanderhoef says. “This is the way I work, and I enjoy it.”
Vanderhoef and Krevans both mentor numerous professionals in their organization. Five of the people Vanderhoef has mentored have gone on to become presidents at other University of California campuses.
Krevans receives frequent requests, especially from women, for career advice. “I’ve never said no,” she says. “It’s flattering when people come to you for advice.”
Mentoring Challenges
Mentoring is not without its challenges. The biggest issue for both these mentoring partners was finding the time to meet. “Larry’s running the university. I run the theatre company, teach and parent,” says Shannon. “Finding that hour every six to eight weeks is really hard.”
How do they do it? By making mentoring a priority and getting the most out of their time. “With a limited amount of time, you need to make sure that it’s focused time. Our discussions are very focused on specific areas and goals,” notes Conforti. “That way we can maximize our time.”
Continued...
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