That whooshing sound ringing in your ears is the year blowing by. As the clock ticks
forward, I, like most of the planet, am catching my breath and looking forward to new opportunities and challenges. As I look ahead, however, I can’t help glancing back over my shoulder at all the people who have helped me along the way.
Early in my career, I read that the best way to learn and grow in this business was to find a mentor. I began seeking out the perfect person to serve as my beacon of knowledge. I ticked through my list of possibilities (at this time in my career it was somewhat short), and while most of them possessed admirable qualities, none completely fit the bill.
A few months later, on my very first business trip (to NYC, no less), I was traveling with a client, meeting with department store buyers. We met a blur of busy execs, with very little time and very little need for what we were selling. I don’t remember anyone being particularly rude. But I do remember feeling completely under appreciated and all too quickly dismissed.
Except for one particular meeting on the last day of the trip.
We were waiting in the conference room of one of the biggies – I think it was JC Penney. A middle-aged woman in a business suit came in balancing a tray of coffee and cookies. She introduced herself and explained that she was very busy and apologized that we could only get a few moments of her time. As she filled our coffee cups, she must have noticed our semi-astonished expressions at her hospitality. She said that she spent more time at her office than her own home, so that when she had guests, even for a brief time, she wanted them to feel welcomed, just like they would if they were visiting her home. Then she smiled and we got down to business. I don’t remember her name and we didn’t make a sale. But on the elevator ride down, I realized my search for a mentor was over and just starting at the same time.
Why should a single individual be my mentor, when I could learn something from nearly everyone I meet? The buyer in NYC was the first official member of My Mentor Squad. That was over 20 years ago and My Mentor Squad continues to grow. In fact, you’re already likely an unwitting member of this elite task force. No, there isn’t a secret- coded list I keep stashed on my computer, but when I’m faced with a decision or situation, I consult My Mentor Squad memory bank – “What would Mick do? What would Larry say? How would Ann deal with this? Duey? Barry?” I am eternally grateful for My Mentor Squad’s wisdom, guidance, but mostly, the friendship.
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