Mentor notes: Strategies to Strengthen Your Development

As I've been working as a mentor this fall, in a formal program supported by the University of Redlands School of Business, it has given me the opportunity to think about what makes work, work -- for me, and for my mentee! Here are some recent thoughts about some of the things we can do as employees that can make us better workers, more successful enterprise owners, and protect our integrity in the workplace. Strategies that can strengthen your development:

• Find a mentor
• Build allies, social capital, potential coalitions
• Be seen as a leader, enterprise owner
• Remind self of successes, and sell them “up” the organization
• Be self-reflective, learn from mistakes even while you “own” them
• Maintain focus under pressure
• Be bold and direct in communication
• Don’t overshare
• Determine additional skills or training needed to grow and add value
• Take on tasks outside your role, volunteer to fill gaps as needed
• Support others’ success, but not to your own detriment
• Learn conflict resolution skills and use them as needed
• Don’t compare your kudos to others
• Don’t compare your setbacks to others

This is by no means an exhaustive list! Just a top-of-my-head attempt to put something in writing. Please comment if you have others to add...!