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The WGU School of Business sponsors and听participates听in The Business Journals鈥� Mentoring Monday.
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One quick piece of advice I like to share with emerging professionals is based on the听viral听quote from听Creative Director听and Writer听Billy听Ivey:听Misery loves company, but so does joy, and听joy throws better parties.
Early in our careers, it can be easy to bond over stress,听frustration听or the challenges of work. Misery is loud, and it can be contagious. But听I鈥檝e听learned that joy is just as powerful and far more productive.
The people who choose optimism, curiosity and gratitude 鈥� even when things are hard 鈥� create environments where others want to spend time. It invites collaboration rather than competition and resilience rather than burnout.
What Is Mentoring Monday? A National Effort to Support Women in Business
For the second year in a row,听I鈥檝e听shared this听and听other听advice while听serving as a mentor to dozens of women during听the听national听fast-paced听Mentoring Monday听event听hosted by American City Business Journals.
It鈥檚听an event that听not only听creates听joy,听but also听inspiration and听meaningful networking.
That鈥檚听why the听91制片厂 School of Business听has听sponsored the event听for the second听consecutive听year.听Held听in 40 cities across the country on Feb. 23, hundreds of established women business leaders mentored the next generation of women in business as part of a nationwide effort to support mentoring in the business community.听
Stories from the Next Generation of Women Leaders
In Phoenix this year, I met some amazing women whose听positivity was infectious.听
I met a young woman who went from听serving听tables听to听a leadership role in communications.听She now听aspires听to听speak to youth about suicide,听drugs听and life after high school. She was motivated听and听empowered,听and听she is听so capable.听
I met a woman who, in her late听50s, is learning to play ice hockey.听With her newfound passion,听she鈥檚 making a transition from communications to professional sports鈥攁ll because she sees the value of coaching, mentoring听and giving and receiving feedback.听
While on two different听鈥減laying fields,鈥澨齮hey share so much. Dreams. Fears. The ability to see their skills听impacting听the workforce.
How WGU Leaders Show Up as Mentors Across the Country
My colleagues also served as mentors:听Regional Vice President Tonya Drake听in Seattle,听Vice President Sandra Sjoberg听in Dallas and听听in Atlanta.
Drake, who has served as a Mentoring Monday mentor听several听times, found advising emerging women in business in Seattle this year听incredibly inspiring and energizing, especially in a city known for innovation,听resilience听and bold ideas.听She also appreciated听connecting听with professionals who are just beginning their careers as well as with women who are ready to step confidently into their next level of leadership.
鈥淭he energy of being together and connecting in person was powerful,鈥� Drake said. 鈥淚t renewed my own sense of purpose in mentoring others and left me with a bright and hopeful outlook for听the听community听we can build听together.鈥�
In Dallas, Sjoberg valued her time听advising听mentees on their next听career听steps.听
鈥淎s a first-time mentor听for听Mentoring Monday, I was impressed with the breadth of career paths in the room, from a new lawyer evaluating her career path options to mid-career leaders charting their path to their next opportunity,鈥� Sjoberg said. 鈥淚 was deeply impressed by the intentionality of these women, who arrived with a clear purpose and a focus on specific topics to support them in owning every part of their professional journey.鈥�
For Johnson, spending time guiding a group of emerging women leaders was rewarding.听
鈥淚鈥檓 humbled by the opportunity to connect with women at all different stages of their careers,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t was meaningful to share my experiences and lessons learned 鈥� and just as meaningful to learn from them. I hope the conversation offered guidance and encouragement as they continue to grow in their careers.鈥�
What Effective Mentorship Requires
Mentorship is an intentional action.听It鈥檚听about thoughtfully听taking time to invest in someone else and using your experiences and knowledge 鈥� learned from both the good and bad, the wins and the setbacks听鈥� to help make someone else鈥檚 journey easier.听
I鈥檓听grateful听to those who have mentored me throughout my career, and听I鈥檓听fortunate to support others while continuing to learn along the way.听
How WGU Embeds Mentorship into the Student Experience
I am听also听grateful to work at听WGU听where mentorship is foundational:听Each student听is听paired with a program mentor who is an expert in the field听the student is studying. Mentors help students create personalized plans that serve as road maps to their career goals. The mentors are there, by the student鈥檚 side, every step of the way.
