Mentoring is an interactive, dynamic and empowering relationship. Even when a mentor is highly skilled with years of experience, it doesn’t mean they know how to teach another to think the way experience taught them. Yet, the ability to do just that is what makes mentoring so powerful.
When I was in my early thirties, I had an opportunity to change careers. I made the move from public information officer of a chamber of commerce to marketing professional services for architects and engineers. The basic skills were the same: ability to network productively, write persuasively, and research opportunities.
The dilemma: I did not know anything about the built environment and how firms marketed. I had never seen a written proposal for any kind of engineering, I had no idea what kind of work the different disciplines performed, and I didn’t know how architects, engineers and their clients thought about their work, their business and the future.
One of my committee chairs, an architect named Robert Turner, believed I could make the switch and succeed. He offered to be my mentor. To prepare for the job interview, he allowed me to spend hours going through his firm’s marketing files and learning what comprised a successful proposal, seeing what good marketing materials for the built environment looked like and the kinds of messages that communicated. He talked with me about local market conditions and the roles of the different players in our market. His generous mentoring allowed me to create new ways of viewing the world, the industry and in many ways, the new me. I learned to think strategically about business development and marketing.
I got the job and went on to become a very successful business development director for three engineering firms working in a continuous joint venture during the economic downturn of the eighties. None of the principles of these three firms had any experience marketing their services. Until the economic downturn, waiting for the phone to ring had been sufficient. In less than three years, I helped them bring in more than fifty million dollars in construction projects. More than 130 employees kept their jobs and saw their careers grow.
Turner remained a mentor, friend, client and resource over the following decade. He continuously shared his network with me, introducing me to people and organizations that could help me. He was a natural mentor.
We have been out of touch for a number of years, but the difference his mentoring made in my career will never be forgotten. Teaching others to give the gift he gave to me is the best way I know to honor my mentor and friend.
