The Power of Mentors

Juneteenth is an important day in America's history, and a time to reflect on the barriers to progress that hold back people of color. However, it has also given me an opportunity to think about those people who have helped me in my career.

When people ask what factors have contributed to my career development, they are surprised that I identify the most critical factor not as talent or hard work but the power of mentors.

Since I left university and started my career as a young graduate in IBM in the early '90s, I've been fortunate to benefit from the mentorship of several executives who have helped to shape my career. They have been generous with their time, challenging when needed, and always objective in their approach.

It started on the day I joined IBM; I was greeted by John Dumper, a top sales executive within IBM's Public Sector team. He met me with a warm smile and friendly hello and was excited to be taking care of the team's first graduate hire for years.

Over the next few months, John and several other IBMers took me under their wings and invested heavily in me. One joked that I was a "Baby Blue" and that although I looked different from them in my over-sized pinstripe suit and had come from a much more modest background as the child of immigrants, they recognized that I had talents and skills that could be valuable.

Many spent a lot of time coaching me on how to behave as an executive, be a good consultant, and handle business negotiations. These relationships have stood the test of time, and over 25 years later, I am still in contact with many of them, including Peter Breakell, Mark Cleverley, Martin Duggan, Paul Martin, Leo Patrick, John Tadman, and Mike Trippick.

Later in my career, other mentors like Val Feerick helped me move up through the ranks of the corporate world, giving me opportunities to demonstrate my potential while providing support and guidance to maximize my success. Mentors have assisted me with some of my most important decisions. Peter continued to mentor me, and I returned the favor by in turn mentoring his son.

From these mentors, I received excellent career advice, invitations to events I would not otherwise have been present at, introductions to key people and networks, and coaching, even when I did not ask for it!

More importantly, they acted as role models for me, inspiring me to be a good leader and executive.

I have benefited enormously from their experience and networks, as well as the investments that people had previously made in them. This is one of the reasons I am committed to mentoring others myself.

Not only is it valuable to people building their careers, but it is also rewarding for the mentor. Some of the conversations I have with my mentees provided insights into my career, challenged my thinking, and generated a great deal of enjoyment.

If you have never had a mentor or never mentored someone, I encourage you to consider it because it could have a profound effect on your career path.

What do you think about mentors?

How much of your success do you attribute to the people who have mentored you?

How much time do you allot to mentoring others?