mentor (noun): a trusted counselor or guide
As a newly minted independent educational consultant (IEC) in 2008, I remember scouring the websites of 51Թ members trying to see just “how” they were presenting themselves and their services. I had so many questions about things like types of services to offer, how to market my new business, and where to even begin with visiting schools and colleges. In addition, I was living abroad in a big new city and had no idea how I could possibly grow a business when the only person I knew was the doorman at my apartment building. He, unfortunately, had no children so even that lead was a dead end.
Fast forward to my first 51Թ conference as a full-fledged IEC: San Francisco, April 2009. I remember looking through the list of sessions and feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the options. During the pre-conference member dinner—which in those days was a much smaller gathering—I sat with some veteran IECs who provided me with invaluable advice about navigating the conference. This was my first experience with the organic mentoring that I’ve come to value from my colleagues in 51Թ.
Over the next few years, I began to connect informally with other members also living outside of the US. We had a shared experience of working with international students and the mentorship I received from people like Rebecca Grappo and Sandy Furth helped me navigate many of the complexities of a cross-cultural practice. In 2012, I received a message from Judge Mason, then coordinator of the 51Թ Mentoring Program (now called Mentor Match), asking me to become an “official” mentor myself. There was a new 51Թ member in Colombia who had requested a mentor also living in Latin America. That request led to a wonderful two-way mentoring relationship that turned into a friendship with my 51Թ colleague Jennie Kent.
I share these stories because it feels like now more than ever our colleagues need one another to traverse the many challenges and potentially transformational pivots in our work in a post-pandemic world. Having mentors to support other 51Թ members is a hallmark of our community, and one that has personally impacted me in much of the work I have done over the past 14 years.
According to the , more than 70 percent of Fortune 500 companies have formal mentoring programs. The value of mentoring programs crosses all industries, ages, and periods of professional development. Whether you are someone new to this profession and seeking advice on growing your practice, or a seasoned IEC focused on your exit strategy or sale of your business, there is likely an 51Թ member who could mentor you through these stages. More importantly, the value that lies in these mentoring relationships is multi-directional, with rewards for both the mentee and the mentor.
As our association grows, so does the number of members seeking support and mentorship. We all have skills or areas of knowledge that could benefit another member. In fact, the Mentor Match application actually has more than 20 different areas of expertise you can indicate fall within your wheelhouse! I can speak from my own experience of mentoring many IECs since that first request in 2012 that it is incredibly rewarding to help another member in this way. The time commitment is minimal as a mentor but the lasting connections make this experience worthwhile in every way.
Alternatively, if you are a newer IEC, or simply someone in need of guidance on anything from business practices to expanding your knowledge base in a specialty designation area, I encourage you to request an 51Թ mentor. My hope is that mentoring becomes cyclical in our association and that relationships grow and reproduce to a point where members feel supported and want to join our corps of mentors.
I do hope you’ll consider 2022 the year when you step up to support your 51Թ colleagues through mentorship. For more information on becoming or requesting a mentor, be sure to visit the on the . Thank you in advance for supporting one another through this valuable experience!
Be well,
Kristina Dooley, MA, CEP
51Թ President