Flash Mentoring

The third annual Flash Mentoring program was held on February 24, 2010 at the Treasury Executive Institute (TEI) from 3pm to 5pm.  EWG and TEI partnered to host the Flash Mentoring event – an adaptation of “speed dating” transported to the world of mentoring and busy executive women.  

It was an opportunity to engage Senior Executive women, as they shared their wisdom and experience “in a flash” about career, work and life balance, and other relevant questions.  

The basics of the Flash Mentoring session – participants are assigned to a table where they are able to ask questions of a mentor for about 20 to 30 minutes before engaging the next mentor at another table, etc.  This exchange continues until the end of the program.  Scribes record the questions and answers at each table.

Follow up between the mentors and mentees is often done on a one-on-one basis.  It is very important to bring your business card to these events.  The scribes’ notes are compiled into “pearls of wisdom” to be shared with all the attendees and posted on the website (please see below).

EWG’s Flash Mentoring is an extremely successful program and often used as a model by other organizations.    

A special thanks to TEI for our partnership, to our mentors and scribes, and to EWG’s Status of Women Committee -- Mary Josie Blanchard, Paula Farrell, Sue Richardson, and Vicki Allums -- for making our third year of Flash Mentoring a great success!


       3rd Annual Flash Mentoring Program “Pearls of Wisdom”

View a complete list of our 2010 mentors and their biographies

What lessons have you learned during your career that you think are the most important for our mentees to know about in order for them to advance in their Federal careers?

Be flexible.  Have a plan but be flexible and adaptable; you must own your career.  Evolve.  Take new paths to create new building blocks.  Keep your options open.

Map out career goals and timeframes.
  • Diverse experience makes for strongest skills base.
  • Seek out details that stretch you beyond your normal comfort zone, and 
  • Consider moving between agencies/to different agencies.
Network:  upward, outward, professionally, outside work, 360 degrees, keep in touch with colleagues over the course of your career,

For successful outcomes, remember the 3 P’s:  preparation, preparation, preparation!  Demonstrate competence.  Know your subject matter.  Undertake challenging assignments.

Learning never stops.
Seek out leadership/developmental programs/details, and never be afraid to ask questions.

Add value to things that are important to your organization if you want to be noticed; volunteer to get to be known as a “can do” person; be a team player/collaborative.  Be a problem solver, especially to management.

Be creative and maintain vision.

Have a mentor or mentors.
  • Not a best friend; not social
  • Be willing to do the work recommended
  • Be organized to make the most of time with your mentor
  • Mentor should be able to have a special interest in you
  • Could be formal or informal relationship
  • Mentor should typically be senior to you, have more perspective, outline a path for advancement, and give advice about how to handle difficult situations.

Keep a good life-work balance.

Recommended books:
  • How Men Think by Adrienne Mendell
  • Hardball for Women:  Winning at the Game of Business by Pat Heim
  • Games Mother Never Taught You: Corporate Gamesmanship for Women by Betty L. Harragan
  • You’ve Got Only Three Seconds by Camille Lavington
 

How have you dealt with setbacks or challenges in your career?

Treat people well:  the same people you meet on the way up are there on the way down.  Establish relationships.  Don’t burn bridges, unless you plan to go somewhere else (and even then it’s almost always a bad idea).

Focus on what you can/should do.  Ask “what can I do?”

Book recommendation:  QBQ! The Question Behind the Question:  Practicing Personal Accountability in Work and in Life by John G. Miller

Do the best job you can do wherever you land.  Deal with situations the best way you know how.  Your experience at one position/location may not be what you like, but it may strengthen your resume.

In the case of non-selection, be self-reflective.  Ask “What do I need to do now, to be better prepared for the next job/position?”  Reflect on how you might have done things differently.  Ask for specific constructive feedback from boss/selecting official/mentor.

Be aware that you shouldn’t take all setbacks personally:  setbacks may be temporary and may not have anything to do with you.  There will be more opportunities.    

Take responsibility for setbacks, if you were at fault.  Talk through what you should have done and what you could have done better.

Identify what you learned from the challenge/setback.  Ask “why?”  “Is there something I can do to improve my chances?  What’s really required here?  What is it that leaders are really looking for that they didn’t see/that I did not convey?”

Be flexible and able to adjust your approach.  Don’t assume everyone sees things, operates, or values the same things you do.  Be adaptable to different organizational cultures.

Be professional.  Remember that every day is an interview.   Remember that your skills are transferable and be able to tell your story succinctly.

Use challenges as a learning experience to help choose appropriate developmental assignments.



What do you wish you had known earlier in your career, especially when occupying a leadership position?

Seek out mentors, even though you might be less than comfortable doing it.  Seek out senior women as mentors and role models; you can draw on their networks and experiences.

Pay attention to relationships, professional as well as personal.  Treat people with respect, not as objects.

Network early and often, especially with other women.  It’s OK to admit that you cannot do all things all by yourself, and that you need support.

Pay attention to the balance of work/career and life/family.

Take/maintain control of your own professional development.  Diversity and broad experience is crucial to obtain top positions.

Shameless self-promotion – toot your own horn; don’t always expect people to recognize your contribution unless you make it known.  Be able to verbalize your good work.

Remember that failure isn’t fatal, and success isn’t permanent.

Understand and practice the differences between management and leadership.

Don’t make yourself indispensable; always have someone to backfill/cover if/when you want to move on.

Be sensitive to the need for and timing of shifting from excellent technical expertise to leadership skills, such as motivating, inspiring, and networking.  Look for ways to demonstrate/practice your leadership skills.

Be aware that how you conduct yourself really matters – as a staffer and especially as a manager/leader.  

Embrace different perspectives.  Ask for feedback.

Be able to explain complex ideas simply.

Be loyal to your manager, while being inclusive when you receive praise about work.

As a manager, recognize and reward your staff, develop your staff, and delegate appropriately (don’t try to do it all yourself or “over” multi-task).  Learn to let people fail so that they will learn.


“Pearls” compiled by Sue Richardson, Committee on the Status of Women