most women i've met in business are not great mentors. it's not something that we were ever taught. many of us didn't play team sports and that's a natural place to learn some of these skills. i danced and even though you work together as a group at times, it's not the same dynamic as a team. so why isn't this a skill that is promoted at school? gone are the days of home ec. and since over 75% of women 25-54 work, this would seem like an important bit of knowledge to learn.
i've often wished i had a mentor - i have been a mentor to a few women and enjoyed it immensely. how great would it be to have someone you trust - who has your back - can bounce an idea off of - and brainstorm with? the role is quite similar with that of teacher, i imagine. it's about being inspiring. modeling a certain type of behavior, but most importantly teaching. i have women in my group of friends who i consider life mentors that i go to with questions about work, parenting, health (mental and physical) - but not a mentor in the typical description.
we - women - are an interesting group. competitive. masters of maneuvering. smart. jugglers of tasks. you have to be very secure to be able to help others and enjoy their success. and probably have needed to have fought many battles throughout your career. each generation of women has had less and less to fight for. we can vote. for the first time in history, we outnumber men in the work force. we're getting closer to being paid the same as men for similar jobs. we have the same headaches as men and probably more. i hope the generation entering the work force now will see the benefits of having a team.
wwcd: teach + learn more life skills earlier in life
we - women - are an interesting group. competitive. masters of maneuvering. smart. jugglers of tasks. you have to be very secure to be able to help others and enjoy their success. and probably have needed to have fought many battles throughout your career. each generation of women has had less and less to fight for. we can vote. for the first time in history, we outnumber men in the work force. we're getting closer to being paid the same as men for similar jobs. we have the same headaches as men and probably more. i hope the generation entering the work force now will see the benefits of having a team.
wwcd: teach + learn more life skills earlier in life
i wonder if this has anything to do with our relationships to our parents and siblings ... if we've ever experienced anything like a mentor it would help us look for (or become) role models who accept and encourage, advise and have confidence rather than interfere or judge, and definitely do not compete... this kind of relationship can make all the difference. especially when taking risks and doing something new, like being a woman in business!
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