Recognizing the Power of Peer Support on National Mentoring Day

This Sunday marks National Mentoring Day, the largest global celebration of mentoring. The Day’s goal is to educate, connect, support and celebrate mentors and mentoring initiatives across the world. As Sunday approaches, I’m reminded of the role mentoring plays in not only shaping careers but also supporting personal growth and leadership development. PAN recognizes this wholeheartedly. Every one of our employees has a dedicated career coach who oversees them across accounts and provides guidance on their career climb and goals.??

In my own journey as CEO, I’ve been fortunate to experience mentorship in many forms. In the early days of founding PAN, it was taking conversations with anyone who would have one with me and soaking up every piece of advice I could get, to help me start and, hopefully someday, scale the business.??

Today, mentorship is all about sharing with a select group of CEOs that I trust and admire.?In addition, I am fortunate to belong to a CEO Cohort, arranged by Kim Sample through our collective membership in the PR Council . Some might find it unusual that I meet regularly with CEOs from competing agencies. And you might find it even more surprising that we openly share our insights, challenges and even trade secrets. But what’s maybe not surprising is that this has become one of the most invaluable relationships I’ve built as a leader.?

While the idea of collaborating with competitors might seem counterintuitive, my CEO network and our CEO cohort function as a true safe zone. We’ve developed a mutual understanding that the real value in our meetings comes from our commitment to openness, honesty and a shared desire to see each other succeed.??

Even though I value the networking and exchanging of business strategies, it’s so much more than that. We lean in with transparency and vulnerability and have raw, honest conversations. We help one another with all types of issues facing a CEO and are quick to help a member of our leadership team by connecting them with others in these firms. We know we’re there to seek advice, offer support and challenge each other to think differently. And our discussions are more enriching than most mentoring conversations I’ve had throughout my career.???

While I have a FABULOUS C-Suite, I know when to seek help beyond the walls of PAN. This group has been my sounding board, especially during some of the most complex and challenging moments of leading my business. From navigating tricky scenarios with acquisitions to making decisions that affect my employee base, having a space where I can share those pressures without judgment has been invaluable.??

Mentoring doesn’t always look the same, and it evolves with the changes in your life. Sometimes it’s a one-on-one relationship, and other times, it’s a group effort supporting each other through shared experiences. It all comes back to the same guiding principles, though – fostering growth, providing honest feedback and having a partner or partners along for the journey.??

Mentorship is about lifting others as we climb. I’m THANKFUL for the CEO network I’ve built and the CEO cohort I’m a part of. With the trust and guidance we’ve built, I’m more confident in navigating whatever is thrown my way.???

I hope this post inspires others to ignite or reignite their relationship with their mentors and to reach out to others in your industry at your level. If you don’t have one, use today as an opportunity to reach out to someone to make the ask for mentorship. If you do have one, consider reigniting the conversation if it’s been a while since you’ve connected. You’ll be better for it.?