Page 3 - The Leadership Line: November 2021

Teamwork in Action

Most successful professionals have a professional “mentor” who has taken an interest in their leadership capacity and
who has helped identify career experiences that will further develop leadership capacity.

Stellar Mentors

» “At the time, I was new to leadership and trying to continue my role as a problem solver, I wanted to solve
the problems myself and not pass them along as a burden to others. (My manager) identified that, not only
was this affecting me it was impacting the team. I did not realize that by trying to do everything, the team did
not feel empowered to do the work or trusted. I thought I was helping!! (My manager) approached this with
issue with discussions, examples from her past that related to me, and brainstorming on what I could do to get
better at it. This was a huge help, and I am still very thankful for the mentorship she provided.”
» “I’ve worked at MIL for 5+ years, and during that time, my mentor(s) have challenged me to do the best in
my position, and to be the best version of me possible. They are direct and honest in providing feedback.
They don’t sugarcoat the bad but also provide praise when it’s warranted! They show loyalty to the employees
and are extreme professionals. My favorite quality about my mentors is that they don’t micro-manage. The
expectation is set for getting the job done, and they let me go and get it done! I’ve adapted these same qualities
in my approach to leading my team.”

» “(My mentorship) started with a formal relationship, with me as a direct report to my supervisor. We built
trust and rapport initially through our weekly one-on-one meetings. But then also through more informal
channels as time went on. I proactively go to him to seek information, context, guidance, etc. Also, I would
share my thoughts and strategies on things I plan to implement and ask for feedback and sponsorship. Though
the mentorship I learned valuable information about the organization that I think would have taken much
longer for me to figure out on my own. Also, I gained confidence knowing that my ideas were vetted. Having
that safe space to brainstorm and ask, “what if?” allowed me to be more deliberate and strategic.”

What’s Happening in HR

» Harassment Training begins November 2021
» Open Enrollment starts December 2021