From Leadership to Mentorship

Building a career in marketing, PR and strategic communications certainly takes a lot of hard work, but the journey also requires a willingness to open yourself up to advice and feedback as well. While finding the right mentor with that perfect mix of knowledge and wisdom can take time, there’s nothing wrong with putting yourself out there, meeting as many people as you can, and opening yourself up to learning what you don’t know about the communications industry. And of course sharing what you do know.

We recently talked about the power of mentorship during National Mentoring Month with Grimm & Grove Communications founders Melissa Grimm and Alison Grove. We focused our conversation on how mentorship not only enriched their working lives, but also brought meaning to their lives on a bigger scale, too. 

Following are a few highlights from that insightful conversation:

What makes for a strong and productive mentoring relationship?

Melissa Gimm: Mentoring is about growth, but you need to start with shared or aligned values and objectives, and go from there. Mentor relationships don't have to be formal, but it’s critical that both folks trust and respect one another as well. Respect comes in the form of listening, getting back to each other, and being clear about what you need since no one is a mind reader. 

At the end of the day, being a mentor is similar to any trust-based friendship or relationship, where you have to listen, care, and trust one another to connect in  meaningful ways.

Alison Grove: Agreed – communication is key, and the ability for both parties to be candid and honest is equally important. You both have to be comfortable being yourselves, as you would be in any relationship.

How do you pick a mentor/mentee to work with? What criteria do you look for?

Melissa Grimm: Aligned values, open-mindedness, commitment to goals, and the understanding that asking for help is a great trait and not a signal of weakness or failure. Look for a mentor who can make a positive difference, someone who also believes in paying it forward (a value anyone can have regardless of where they are professionally), someone with positive energy who is growth-minded, and someone who in my case can handle my high energy and commitment to strategic problem solving & the big idea.

Alison Grove: My mentor and mentee relationships have been more organic. They started with communication, common ground was found, confidences grew, and counsel was sought. When that relationship becomes symbiotic you realize you have a mentor whom you trust and respect. Naturally “being in the bunker” working together creates a special relationship that is hard to break.

How have mentor/mentee relationships shaped your career in communications?

Melissa Grimm: Having the same career mentor my entire professional life has given me comfort, knowing she has my back, listens without judgment and gives me her best advice. Getting frank feedback from a mentor whom you respect – and who has become a good friend over the years - is truly a great gift. 

On the other hand, being a mentor has challenged me to think open-mindedly and without judgment when talking to anyone, because you never know what someone is dealing with in their personal life as well. It's also brought me a lot of joy to keep in touch with women as they grow and confidently take on new opportunities.

Alison Grove: Many of my mentor relationships are not by design or choice, but simply because we found each other by being in the right place at the right time. Mentors helped shape my career: recalling lessons learned and taught that might not have been clear at the time, sharing a clarifying “ah-ha” moment, and my favorite—hearing from someone out of the blue because they instinctively call, and the serendipity that comes from that connection point.