The Greek stoic philosopher Epictetus once stated, “We all carry the seeds of greatness within us, but we need an image as a point of focus in order that they may sprout.”
I believe mentors do just that. My entire life, whether it was help from a sister, cousin, friend, or schoolteacher, I constantly saw the ways seeking out a mentor could take me further than working alone. When I started with Arcadis in January 2019, I knew the best way to grow and progress toward my goals would be with the help of veteran Arcadians.
Eager to sprout
On my first day of work, I walked into the building nervous but determined to do whatever it took to perform well. I wanted to learn everything I could about the company and serve it to the best of my abilities, but I had no idea how or where to start.
Thankfully, my supervisor introduced me to Katherine Mooney, an “onboarding buddy” designated to help me navigate my first week at the company. While she provided crucial guidance over my first days at Arcadis, the real value came from the ongoing relationship we developed. Katherine continually shared experiences and advice over coffee breaks, lunches, dinners, and volunteer events outside the office. She encouraged me to get more involved in groups such as Toastmasters, Roots of Arcadis, and the Women’s Network, all of which provided extraordinary professional growth opportunities.
Seeing how much I gained from just one mentor, I sought out others that could help guide my career. I made it a goal to study under a wide breadth of individuals—including those that did not necessarily look like me, think like me, or come from the same background as me.
Expanding my search opened doors to some wonderful opportunities. New mentorships led me to participating in the Diversity & Inclusion steering committee, joining the Black Employee Network, conducting a workshop with our Executive Leadership Team, becoming the Vice President of Education for Toastmasters at Arcadis, and volunteering at the first Moore Girls in STEM event with the Atlanta City Council. Each connection has taught me more about working within the industry, strengthening my skillset and increasing the value I bring to client projects. Looking back to my first day on the job, it’s clear that the journey wouldn’t have been possible without mentors to help me along the way.
What makes for a good mentor?
True mentorship requires two parties to be intentionally involved in one another’s lives. Mentors are not dictators; they are accountability partners who help you get to where you want to go. It is important to develop that relationship in order to experience growth. When I’m looking to build a mentor-mentee relationship, I seek out mentors that:
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Focus on character development. Mentors should bring you through the cycle of trying, failing, learning and growing. Even if they don’t have all the answers, they’ll equip you to handle a variety of challenges and seek out the answers you need.
- Accelerate career building. A mentor should help you build the skills and connect you with the people that will allow you to take the next steps in your career.
- Will be honest. Good mentors will call you out on and help you address your errors, blind spots, and weaknesses.
- Provide actionable insights. Hearing others’ experiences can teach you a lot, but you want a mentor that can give you specific areas to work on and will follow up regarding your progress.
- Think differently. While it might be more comfortable to build relationships with likeminded people, you’ll learn much more if you diversify who you study under.
We become our influences. We become our conversations. We think like and we perform like the people we surround ourselves with. Be intentional and selective with your mentors, as they will be the ones encouraging your seeds of greatness to grow.
