How Mentoring at Expedia made 2020 a better year for me

July was marked as the?Mentorship Month?globally across?Expedia Group, and to wrap up the month that included many mentoring initiatives and activities, I thought I’d share my personal experience on the role this initiative played in my life last year.

Here we go ??

Through my career journey I've personally had the privilege of having some fantastic mentors who've given me food for thought, challenged me and guided me – it was particularly priceless when I first became people manager at the age of 24, with every member of my team being older than I was! I am forever grateful to my mentors back then, throughout my 11 years at EG, and still today - as they’ve been integral to what I’ve achieved so far.

I, however, have never been an active mentor myself due to lack of time, focus on my MBA degree, busy travel schedule… We all have an endless list of excuses not to prioritize things, don’t we? ?? If people reached out to me for help or advice, I’d always offer a listening ear and a recommendation – but have to confess that I’ve never given this area enough attention or discipline.

Still, 2020, the year when the pandemic tested the travel industry to its core, with travel bans all around, uncertainty, stress, people losing friends and family members, partners closing offices, I will remember it as a year when I became a mentor (properly!).?

Self-awareness was the first step.

I know that I do well under pressure: it makes me more collected and creative, and makes me think and act faster, seeing opportunities others might not notice. I also knew that with uncertainty and stress all around, these qualities were in deficit last year – along with much needed empathy. I began to think that if I can help someone’s thought process, provide support, give a second opinion on a tricky situation, or inspire some ideas, I should totally do it.

In the matter of a few months, I got the opportunity to mentor several Expedians across the world and it’s been a great experience (judging by their feedback here too, so not bragging!).

Here's how I did it.

Last year a group of volunteers led by the fairy godmother Veronica Riccio established the mentoring org within EG, connecting potential mentors and mentees via a dedicated Slack channel and online events. There were also speed-mentoring sessions where 4 potential mentors and 4 potential mentees would connect for 10-minute sessions to gage if there was “chemistry” in any of the pairings. The mentors and mentees could then decide whether they wished to continue working together on a long-term basis.

Considering my workload, I opted for a maximum of 4 mentees per quarter – being conscious of my specific strengths and areas of expertise that would be helpful to them. I was extremely lucky to connect with several employees from different regions of the world including the UK, US, India, Mexico, Singapore, Russia, and Germany. Even though they came from different parts of the world, their focus on personal and professional growth in this time of insecurity was their common shared attribute.

The beauty of it was that I was also learning a ton while mentoring. Learning to understand each mentee, the challenges they faced, their natural style and approach, and how I could help them tweak their approach to reach the results they wanted, all while staying true to themselves. I have to say, the experience was breathtaking. While managing my day-to-day operations, I was opening myself up to understand the diversity and the talent that Expedia Group possesses.

And from the mentees’ perspectives, they knew that there was a safe space for them to exchange ideas and have a dedicated individual to channel their issues and help them navigate the Expedia Group environment. What was even more significant was that almost all my mentees applied the learnings and progressed to achieve success!

Sufen Koh, a Market Manager in Singapore, was awarded APAC Inspiring Builder Award, and Bharat Dudhmande, Market Manager in India, got the Skill Development award for 2020. Not taking any credit here, they – along with ALL my other amazing mentees, you know who you are ?? – have been just super-motivated and engaged.

The feeling you get when you see your time and resource converted into results is one of the most rewarding. I am delighted, knowing that my efforts have contributed to resounding successes and created a more positive work environment, as well as making my 2020 way more positive despite covid.

This is why mentorship is an essential cog in any organization, and I am glad that EG’s mentoring program continues to gain prominence internally. It’s great to see that no matter what uncertainty comes through, the company continues to invest in its most valuable resource – its people. I’ll definitely continue my participation in the program, and for those who wish to learn more about #lifeatexpedia, here’s some info on EG Culture, on how we approach Inclusion & Diversity and a link to check out our open roles globally – for those who want to join in and enjoy the ride.

Happy mentoring!

Eugenia