Mentoring as a Force for Inclusion and Equity
During times of great transition in my career, I have been thirsty for a mentor. Luckily when I started at Capital Group I was immediately assigned someone to meet with weekly. It’s been almost a year now, and we still meet every other week. My mentor answers questions about the company, talks through my assignments, and gives me feedback on my work and larger career.
Mentoring sessions are the safe space where I can ask ‘dumb’ questions.
It was my mentor who encouraged me to keep a list of all of my accomplishments so that I could advocate for myself when it comes time for performance reviews. She suggested I take the time to calculate my measurable impact after each project wraps ups, and ask my project leads for feedback at the end of each project, when their comments are still fresh. This practical advice was super helpful.
I’ve also been on the mentor side of things. In Hong Kong I was assigned student teachers and mentored them throughout their internship. I also mentored through TPLD (on a break from this right now, though). Currently I serve on the DE&I task force at my organization, co-chairing an initiative to promote the different mentoring programs available to associates.
Why is mentoring so important for DE&I?
Mentoring is an opportunity for individuals that belong to groups that are underrepresented in leadership roles which creates a more diverse pipeline of candidates for those positions. Mentoring sessions are a time to clarify career goals and network with higher-ups.
This goes far beyond instructional design or L&D. By elevating mentoring programs, we can all increase equity in our workplaces.
This is a low-key call to action. If you’ve had awesome mentors in your career, pay it forward by supporting those who are newer to your field.
