Industry leaders: Harness the power of mentorships, confidence

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Honest-to-goodness growth requires a bit of cultivation. It requires time and energy and help, a willingness to learn and try new things.

Yes, real professional growth requires a little bit of mentorship, according to industry representatives participating in a leadership panel during the Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum.

Mentorships, the panelists said, are intentional, particularly for the mentee. They are professional connections that allow you to learn, grow and expand your perspectives about yourself, your goals and your understanding of the industry.

And here's the thing about mentorships: They require the mentee to exhibit leadership, to engage and learn by asking questions.

It's advice that Jennifer Forell wishes she would have had much earlier in her career.

"I just didn't understand what that relationship was supposed to look like, and that it was in my control to schedule the meetings, set the agendas and define what I wanted to learn from there," said Forell, who serves senior vice president of engineering, supply and quality at Flexfab L.L.C. "That would be my advice: Learn from my mistakes and take advantage of those opportunities when they come from you. And you drive that relationship, too. You can ask for those opportunities."

Rolfe Olsen, president of the beverages unit at Graham Packaging Co., believes in the power of mentorships—in their ability to foster the next generation of leaders and preserve industry knowledge. It's why, as an industry veteran, she makes the most of every opportunity to mentor.

"I have done a tremendous amount of mentoring, and I never say no. Never ever," Olsen said. "If someone is looking for a mentor, I am going to raise my hand and say yes."

Even as industry veterans and company leaders take on mentoring opportunities, Olsen contends they need to look for opportunities to sponsor as well.

Sponsorships, Olsen said, are just as critical as mentorships, though they're very different in nature.

"A sponsorship, it might exist without (the person being sponsored) even being aware that it exists," Olsen said.

And it is this quiet advocacy that emphasizes the need for aspiring leaders to challenge themselves, seek new opportunities and exhibit leadership skills, even when they think nobody is watching.

Because chances are, someone is.

"The reason people tell you to go for the stretch assignments and do the things that are special is because you might be discovered by someone inside your organization or outside your organization … who has an incredible ability to pull you up," Oslen said.

Christi McGee, for one, knows the power of both mentorships and sponsorships. Looking back on her career, she sees how each played in role in helping her grow professionally and achieve success.

"I am only on the stage because I had two incredible sponsors throughout my career," said McGee, now the chief operating officer for Circular Solutions Advisors. "One was a former boss in (Washington) D.C. and the other was my boss when I was at NASCAR. Both of these women propelled me to rise up through the organizations and take a leap of faith to lead within the organizations."

Marcia Coulson, president of Eldon James Corp., also encouraged leaders across both the rubber and plastics industries to consider mentorship from a broader perspective.

Think of it, she said, like advocacy. The kind that looks an awful lot like involvement with local schools, encouraging young people to consider careers in STEM and manufacturing.

"I've been thinking about what we said yesterday about mentorship and how to attract more young talent to the industry," Coulson said. " … Just like we now need to get our kids involved in sports much earlier, you have to start in grade school taking your kids to sports activities in order for them to be able to compete in high school. I am thinking we have been reaching out to community colleges and universities, but maybe we need to start in grade school and bring through the STEM participants and introduce them to manufacturing at an earlier age."

It's easy to lose faith in yourself and your abilities, especially when facing new challenges.

But instead of focusing on the negative and getting caught up in the self-doubts of imposter syndrome, use those uncertainties as the push you need to learn more. Be proactive to seek out answers to questions you have about your company, the industry and yourself.

That's exactly what McGee did when she transitioned from her career as a lobbyist for NASCAR to a career with Coca-Cola Co.

"I had been chief lobbyist for NASCAR for a decade, always worked on Capitol Hill, and going to Coca-Cola that was the first time in my entire life that I was not a lobbyist … I was hired to create an entire new vertical at Coke—community affairs—it never existed at that bottler. … (and) I was scared; I was way over my skis," McGee said. "But I realized that it was a healthy fear because it gave me motivation.

"I read the annual reports, I invited myself to every single team meeting, so whether it was manufacturing or production or quality—I would network internally to just start to gain that knowledge."

Forell has been there, too.

"Imposter syndrome. That is something that I still am dealing with all the time," Forell said. "I don't think it ever goes away. Really, for me, I can't let that fear paralyze me, so I just remind myself what got me to the position that I am in—what I see in myself and what others see in yourself."

McGee said she overcame her doubts the same way, by pushing back against the self-doubts with intentionality and confidence.

"It was about saying, 'I will not be afraid. I have earned my place in this room, but now I need to do the work,' " McGee said.

So it's OK to have doubts and to feel unsure of your abilities, the panelist said. The key is being able to take that fear and turn it into something positive. Use imposter syndrome as the chance to learn seek support from trusted mentors.

"Don't let that fear paralyze you," Forell said. "Seek guidance, make good decisions and move forward."