Who’s On Your Team? Making Visible How We Help Each Other Succeed
When I was younger, I had a really hard time asking for help. Okay, who are we kidding? I still have a hard time asking for help – but I’m getting a lot better at it.
In part because, at least in the workplace, I am fully sold on the idea that our pathways to success are never solo efforts – but always also built on the wisdom, kindness and support of others.
Are you a piece in the puzzle of someone else’s success? 🧩
In recent years, I have become a lot more intentional about recognising this, and thinking about my pieces of the puzzle – the places where I might hold something (a bit of wisdom, a useful connection, some good advice) that could make the difference for someone else.
And, I have slowly, over the years, kept people in my life who help me out with all those things: People who I admire. People who mention my name in the right rooms. People who take my calls and help me navigate all the tricky situations.
(Well, older people take my calls, and younger people leave a voice note 😂)
Does someone else hold the key to your success? 🔑
Don’t know where to start? Try a mentorship programme. There are all kinds: programmes for particular professions, programmes that might be linked to your school, or your workplace, or the place where you live.
When we started JustRight Scotland in 2017, I realised that I really, really needed help, and quickly. This is the incredible Karen Cairney who mentored me through the Women’s Business Mentoring programme run by the Scottish Chambers of Commerce.
Karen did really useful and practical things, like explain to me how a charity board works, and also sharing how she had run a successful fundraising campaign for a VAWG charity.
She also bought me cups of coffee and listened calmly and without judgment to everything I brought to her. She was on my side, and on my team.
Too formal? Be a superfan: hang out with people you admire 🦸🏻
Mentorship programmes are a great way to get started, but they’re a bit like dating: some relationships work out, and others never quite click.
And because they are usually structured and time limited, a regular meet-up may not suit you or your ideal mentor.
A good alternative – what I mostly do now – is making sure that I spend time with my heroes: people who I admire because of how they live their lives, or who have found success in a place that I want to be.
Whose team are you on? 🏏
I mentioned earlier getting more intentional about recognising that I could hold a missing piece in someone else’s puzzle.
I have formally and informally mentored early career lawyers and activists for a number of years now, and I have learned so much, myself, in the process. For one thing, it brings me closer to this MLK Jr quote, which is a firm favourite:
I’d love interested to hear from readers about your experiences with formal and informal mentoring, and whether you’ve felt gratitude to “your team” for helping you get where you need to go – or if you have felt very alone in your career journey? Also (selfishly) happy for you to share any great mentorship or peer support opportunities that you think others could benefit from knowing about!
First published on LinkedIn on 30 August 2024:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/whos-your-team-making-visible-how-we-help-each-other-succeed-jen-ang-uhi4e/
