I’ve been lucky to have mentors all throughout my career and they have come and gone to a degree. But I know I have a stable of people – trusted advisors who come in all shapes and sizes – on whom I can count who will provide sound counsel to me and will drop what they are doing to give me advice. These people are so important to your professional development and it’s never too early or late to develop a group of mentors.
I know some feel that a mentor program needs to be formal – totally not true – mentors can totally be informal and in fact, I think the most successful form of mentorship programs are those that are not forced and develop naturally.
The greatest influence on my career has been my former boss Wendy Bernero. Wendy is the smartest person I know. She is also one of the kindest and selfless. She saw something in me, believed in me and taught me and because of that, I am where I am today. I learned so much just by being in the same room as her and listening to her. You can learn so much sometimes in those quiet moments. I hope that everyone finds their own “Wendy.”
Recently at #LMA19, my good friend Timothy Corcoran was inducted into the LMA Hall of Fame. I wanted to not only congratulate Tim on this great achievement but to take a moment to say why this is such a well-deserved honor.
I met Tim several years ago through the New York LMA and he was nothing but kind and generous to me since day one. He’s lent me an ear on so many occasions, and he’s made me laugh when I really needed it. He’s been there for me through some really highs and lows (such as being there for me when I was “between jobs”) and he’s helped me get out of my own way multiple times. It’s because of his advice that I’ve made some really smart professional decisions that enabled me to grow into the legal marketer I am today.
I know I can count on Tim for sound counsel and really witty humor, and I want to thank him for all he does for our community but also for these “unofficial mentoring” moments that so many people in the LMA have with others. People like Tim take the time out of their busy days to give back to others and lend an ear just because – I hope you will too. Tim, you were always a hall of famer to me but I’m glad it’s finally official.
Remember, mentors are important at all stages of your career – and it’s never too early or late to find a mentor. And if you have the opportunity to mentor someone, please do it. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to give back to someone in the same way that you were guided along the way. We can all use a little help sometimes.