What do you do if your professional growth in Partnerships is stagnant and you need mentorship?

Don't hesitate in reaching out to peers to connect and seek advice and information, just make sure you prepare beforehand. The worst case is that they're unavailable or don't respond. No harm done, try again with someone else. Many partnerships professionals are supportive and collaborative and when asked the correct questions, their insights can be tremendously valuable. Many professionals have traversed the situations you're seeking support around and they're happy to share their learnings.

This step may seem obvious, however you need to know clearly exactly what you need guidance on, so that the mentor can be able to support you. Having SMART goals is vital to keep you focused :(are they Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely?). Secondly, do not shy away to seek help from the experts in the field, but also someone you can relate with. Lastly, be open to learning always.

In my experience, if you determine that your professional growth in partnerships is stagnant and you need mentorship, the first and most important step is to identify individuals in your network who have both experience (track record) in this area and genuine passion. I mention passion as you will find that some maybe doing it, possibly well, but not passionate about it. In terms of where you should look, there may be individuals within your own organizations, or you may choose someone on the outside. Once you have identified the individual, take the time to formulate your ask and what you hope to learn. It will be important to express your commitment to learning and applying the skills gained throughout the mentoring relationship.

In my experience, if you're unsuccessful with identifying a mentor who can assist you with reigniting your partnership presence, then expanding your efforts to include networking would be the ideal next step. In large part because it's anticipated that information and knowledge sharing occur at these events and those participating understand that there may be requests for assistance. It's important to use this time to engage, ask questions and learn first and foremost if there is someone who you connect with and seems to have an aligned interest in this area with success. The next step would be determining whether there's a willingness to share their insights with you or others.

In addition to networking, another way to explore increasing or expanding your partnership skills would be to utilize online platforms such as LinkedIn or other professional networking sites. I would actually encourage individuals to pursue this opportunity while they're pursuing their in-person networking. In today's digital age, the online platforms may actually generate better results than the in-person engagement and offer a different perspective since these individuals may be in other parts of the country or world for that matter. It doesn't hurt to have an expanded view of partnerships so that as you seek to apply these skills learned you may find that you have positioned yourself through the mentoring, to become a mentor.

I shared this the other day: Failing to establish a fully built out, systemized, partnership channel will without a doubt be a factor in decreased business growth in years to come. Here's the problem: Strategic Partnerships are nowhere near as cut and dry as sales. Oftentimes I see half baked partnership organizations that exist due to demand but that falter due to under developed processes. According to PwC 75% of CEOs in the Technology / Media / Communications sectors of business say that partnerships are 'important' or 'critical' to their business. There isn't a one size fits all solution. Working with leadership to build out internal processes and resources will make a huge difference in your growth.

Create a personal brand: Share insights on partnership strategies through a blog or LinkedIn posts. Attend industry events, webinars, and workshops to showcase your dedication to partnerships eg, actively participating in panel discussions at networking events. Reach out to senior professionals in your field for guidance and advice eg, asking a former manager or industry leader to be your mentor Highlight your achievements and contributions in partnerships to attract mentors who see potential in your growth eg, presenting a case study of a partnership that significantly impacted your company's success. Take initiative in seeking mentorship opportunities and continuously work on enhancing your personal brand to attract the right mentors.