Find a Great Mentor or Two
The best advice I can give people when I’m talking to groups is “find a great mentor." Family members, friends, etc. can mentor you to a point. But I am referring to a great “workplace“ mentor; a person who can relate to you in your work world. You can have as many as you can find. You can learn lessons from every one of them, but also learn from their mistakes, which are actually good lessons because it could steer you away from situations that can ruin a career.
Where is your mentor? Where can you find a mentor? Your mentor can be right in front of you... or could very well be a competitor. I've had a mentor who was a competitor of mine. We had a mutual respect for each other, and I emulated everything he did. He was famous for sending notes and pictures to people capturing their time together and highlighting an event. He remained a dear friend of mine long past our careers.
I suppose it's possible to have a mentor “quilt," a few relationships you have sewn together for your learnings and growth. For a mentor relationship to really work, it is imperative that they teach and you learn. They have that classroom, and you are the only pupil. To be candid, your mentor is looking for you the same way you are looking for them.
I have had two great mentors in the workplace.
My favorite is Gregg Coccari, whom I knew when I worked at Teleflora. Gregg brought an energy and enthusiasm that meshed well with my personality. He was very smart, and a great leader. Gregg believes in people that believe in his leadership. His understanding of sales and salespeople is outstanding. He is a great visionary, and a person who removes all barriers that would impede someone from selling. He sees potential in people and invests in them. When I first met him, it was his first week as President of Teleflora. I had an idea for a national accounts program and presented it to him. He listened, and he said "let's test your idea." Together, with his support and guidance, we traveled the country side-by-side, growing this program from an idea to a game-changer that today, 25 years later, still exists. The entire company bought in to where he was taking us, and boy, did he take the company to heights no one ever imagined.
The other is Mike Soenen at FTD. Mike is younger than me and a natural teacher. He taught me to plan the course for the year and manage the exceptions. He taught me how to present to a group; how to play a presentation room to your strengths. He would encourage you to work and rework even a one-page document until, as he would say, “it stands on its own." Mike made a guarantee to his direct reports, and he honored that guarantee every time. That's TRUST.
Both of these CEOs are exceptionally smart. They're great leaders in their own way and they have a full understanding of how to partner with you to WIN. Yes...WIN. They are two of the most highly competitive people I have ever been around.
Your mentor should be smart; way smarter than you! It should be someone that you can learn from, but also someone willing to learn from you. Your mentor should be an outstanding leader and a talented communicator. Your mentor should be willing to invest in you and your skill set and help you reach new heights. You will know a mentor when you meet them—they just have IT; a relentless drive; a winner's attitude. Throw in trust and respect as two more key ingredients. And to top it off, both of my mentors had a curious grin to them that made you feel that every day was going to be a great day.