The Future That is Mentor to Be

 

By Chris Perez, University of Tennessee, Knoxville TSCPA Student Ambassador

Let’s talk about life for a minute. Being a college student is an awesome, but frequently tumultuous time. We are in circumstances that are constantly changing, learning new things every day, and struggling through the work that we hope will lead to our ideal futures. That’s tough! New people and environments can throw us off balance. Classes and professors are challenging and stressful. The closer we get to our desired careers, we frequently find that we know even less than we could have imagined. What’s an academic like us to do? Get a mentor.

Just as Luke Skywalker has Yoda, Daniel has Mr. Miyagi and the Kardashians have their Momager, everyone has the possibility of being aided along their journey by a mentor - if only they seek to find one. A mentor can be the anchor to ground and encourage during shaky intervals or can offer clarity where there seems to be none. After all, Neo would still be stuck in the Matrix if Trinity and Morpheus hadn’t been his Sherpas along the path to becoming “The One.”

I’m an “unconventional student” in that after high school I spent the better part of a decade living in New York City, where I studied musical theatre and worked as a performer. It was an excellent time in my life, but time keeps moving, and my life started moving in another direction. Skip ahead a few years, and I found myself in a real college for the first time, pursuing a degree in business management at a local community college. 

If you want to feel out of place, try embarking on a new career path, studying formally for the first time in a decade and living in a state you’ve only ever visited. It is not for the faint of heart. Business management wasn’t really clicking, but I had a mandatory accounting class that I was doing well in, and the professor, Carrie Davis, and I really seemed to vibe. I felt like I had stumbled onto something. So, I made a move that hasn’t always been in my nature: I asked for help.

I can ask for help choosing an outfit or with reading a map, but real life HELP - the kind that you have to get vulnerable and raw to admit you need, was not something I was apt to request. However, something in me felt that I could go to Professor Davis and ask about the world of accounting and if I might fit in. This is probably one of the most correct choices I’ve ever made. Because I asked questions, I learned that my professor went to the University of Tennessee (where I intended to transfer), had connections with accounting firms in Knoxville and was involved in the corners of the career that I found most interesting. So, as we got to talking more, I took the leap and formally asked to be mentored. Now, I have someone in my corner that truly knows. My parents love me, my friends can weigh in, but Professor Davis has walked the path I’ve chosen and can advise me from a place of invaluable experience. 

“But what exactly is a mentor, and how do I get one? It’s not like I can order one on Amazon!”

Very well observed. No, there is not an online Mentor Vendor waiting for you to come calling. A mentor may not even be obvious at first. There is no uniform, and they can live in normal society completely undetected.

Your mentor should be someone with whom you have a few things in common. Be sure to seek an individual who possesses a balance of openness to opportunity. Someone that garners admiration as well as respect, while reciprocating that same esteem for your thoughts, beliefs, feelings and goals. It is difficult to learn from someone if there isn’t common ground and mutual respect, so be sure that your mentor is more Gandalf than Sauron. Both are great and powerful, but one is bent on using others in the interest of ultimate destruction. Don’t pick that one. A mentor should be trusted to give relevant advice and encourage innovative ideas. Hopefully, this is someone who challenges themselves and those around them to succeed. Remember, a mentor is not someone whose job it is to stroke egos or offer compliments.

Getting someone to mentor you is a kind of courtship. People invest in others they believe in and enjoy. Be sure that you stand out for the right reasons. Whether your potential mentor is a professor or professional in your field, you need to know that this person has a lot going on, and donating their time is probably low on their to-do list. Be interested. It makes you interesting. Be honest. It makes you relatable. Be direct. Knowing that you want mentorship is ok. It’s way better to be upfront than dance around the subject. If you are making a genuine connection and relating to one another, asking for mentorship isn’t a betrayal of that connection, it’s an extension. Should your prospective mentor decide to take you under their wing, that expense deserves acknowledgment and appreciation. Small occasional purchases, such as coffee or a card, are great ways to demonstrate your thanks. Be sure to continue this appreciation by showing up to meetings on time (or early) and having thought-provoking questions to ask. Update your mentor on successes and openly share your struggles. The more that is communicated, the stronger the relationship will be, and the more likely it is that they can understand how to be of best assistance. After all, unless your mentor is Professor X, it is not likely that they can read your mind, so it is up to you to share.

So, if you are feeling rudderless and lost at sea as college and the world at large unfold on your rocky horizon, fret not. There is hope out there in the form of incredible people already sailing the seas of success. Be on the lookout for the sailors that seem like they could help captain your ship. Say, “Ahoy.” Make that connection. Ask for a life raft. Sail ahead into the future with a little bit of help. I’ll see you there.

Reverse Mentoring: Coaching the Boss?

By Davoua Vang, CPA, CGMA

It is undeniable that times have changed. As a way to create value and to bridge the generational gaps within an organization, the idea of spinning the conventional mentor-mentee roles just makes sense.

Businesses and the way business is conducted has become more and more tech dependent as consumers and clients become more and more tech savvy. Traditional ways of reaching your audiences are slowly fading away as they are replaced with unconventional channels such as mobile apps, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat. I’ve recently started seeing “Chat Bots” used in conjunction with Facebook’s Messenger app. Consumers are able to communicate with organizations via Facebook Messenger and receive instant automated replies on simple questions and directs them to their website or app if it isn’t able to provide assistance. It even sends out messages occasionally to keep them relevant!

So what is reverse mentoring and how does it work? This idea of reverse mentorship was introduced by GE’s CEO Jack Welch in 1999 and occurs when a veteran employee is paired with a younger employee with the desires of learning from each other. In order for this relationship to be beneficial, certain factors must be laid out. Factors such as well-defined expectations, the willingness to participate, trust, transparency, mutual guidelines and most importantly Executive buy-in.

United Healthcare, Target, MasterCard, Cisco, Microsoft and Deutsche Bank are among some of the organizations that have adopted this platform as a means to allow management to see with a “new set of eyes.” This provides the opportunity for seasoned executives to strengthen their agility to transform to their ever-changing marketplaces. It also provides the junior professional an opportunity to learn the business and important leadership skills from their own leaders.

Not only is there value in the informational exchanges that occur, but it also promotes career growth, improves employee retention and fosters a positive learning culture within the organization. Not to mention the ability and opportunity to identify key personnel to better prepare for succession planning.

So why is this important and how is it relevant to our profession? The CPA profession is not excluded from this rapid change and innovation that is occurring within the marketplace and across all industries. As millennials enter the workforce and as your client base shifts towards a heavier population of millennials, they’ll bring in values that are much different than the status quo. Not only will those values affect your organization internally, but you’ll see that the needs of your clients will change as well. It is in our ability to adapt to and embrace these changes that will ultimately define our success and the future of public accounting.

About the Author:

Davoua Vang, CPA, CGMA, is Assistant Vice President/Controller at First National Bank of Middle Tennessee. She currently serves as President of the TSCPA Upper Cumberland Chapter. 

Mr. Miyagi Mentors

By Paula Novak, CPA

While we are sure to have encountered (or will encounter) many mentors or coaches throughout our careers, there’s always that one – “Mr. Miyagi"” if you will – that leaves us feeling like Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid, ready to take on any challenge. I know, a silly analogy; however, I cannot help but think if my life were a movie, the song “Eye of the Tiger” would be playing after every conversation with my own mentor, Bill Mooningham.  

It’s not Mr. Mooningham’s accomplished 37 years spent at Ernst & Young, 22 of them as a partner, or the quality teachings he brings to his accounting students at MTSU that are most awe-inspiring. Rather, it’s his confident humility. He once shared a story with his class about the frustrations he dealt with at the beginning of his career as an auditor, trials that most of us will likely experience or have experienced. He ended his story by telling us to not worry, that “there will be a time when the lightbulb goes off, and believe me, it’s a really good feeling when it does.” The advice was so simple, yet I left class that night feeling rejuvenated, excited and anxious to experience my own “career beginnings.” That’s what Mr. Miyagi’s do though, or in this case, Mr. Mooningham. They give you something that seems so simple, knowing that one day this simple teaching (remember “Wax on, Wax off”?) will end up having a great impact. Thus, I leave you with a few “Mr. Mooningham teachings,” paraphrased, that I often find my memory bank tapping into:

1. Have empathy. In today’s digitized world, our empathy is what sets us apart. 
2. Strong body, strong mind. If you prepare your body for a marathon, it’ll be a lot easier for your mind to jump over the few unexpected hurdles you’re bound to run into throughout your career (or audit).
3. Make time for the water cooler. You’ll end up learning the most interesting things and you’ll never walk away empty handed. 

Paula Novak, CPA, is a staff accountant at LBMC, a member of the TSCPA Young CPA Workgroup and mentor. She can be reached at pnovak@lbmc.com.

How to Get the Most Out of Mentors

By Jessica Tarpley Stover, CPA

Over the years, I’ve learned the value of the mentor-mentee relationship, as I’ve had numerous people impart wisdom as my career has progressed. Having been in your shoes, mentors often offer up invaluable feedback and offer impartial guidance that can help you grow personally and professionally. When I learned that I did not have to figure everything out on my own, I was amazed to learn that there were plenty of people willing to share the lessons they learned the hard way, and they wanted nothing in return. Here are some tips to get more out of the mentee-mentor relationship.

The first step to a successful mentor relationship is identifying what you hope to achieve from the relationship as the mentee. Mentoring is a time commitment for both parties, and to be successful you need to know what you want to accomplish from the relationship and how to steer things in that direction. Step back and make a list of the most important outcome and goals for the relationship. The mentor may have the experience, but they are there to help you and need your input to be helpful. Many times, mentees just wing it, which can result in wasted time for both parties. Having a mentor for the sake of having a mentor is counterproductive for everyone involved. Know what you want from the relationship and make sure to convey that to your mentor.

The next step is finding the right mentor or mentors. There are endless professionals out there who are willing to spend time with you, but sometimes it requires creativity and looking outside your comfort zone or office walls to produce a meaningful relationship. If your career aspirations are just to progress within your current company, then the easy choice may be the best choice. If you are unsure what you want to do long-term, it might be a better idea to seek support from other resources and business professionals. They might provide better guidance for your long-term career goals, not just your current job. One of my more successful mentor relationships was with a career advisor provided by my firm. He was not a CPA and was not in my focus group within the firm; he was merely someone with a professional accounting background who the firm contracted to work with its staff. He was able to offer advice from the outside looking in and imparted wisdom that was honest and impartial. I know he had my best interests at heart, and I was able to make some bigger career decisions based on his advice. Always be open and honest. You only get out of the relationship what you put in it.

Put together a schedule/agenda and stick to it. As I said before, successful mentoring is time consuming; it takes commitment from both sides. If you don’t make time for it and schedule it, it can get pushed to the wayside. Don’t fear following up with your mentor; they expect you to! They are often busy and feel that you will contact them if the relationship is important to you. I know in the past I’ve made the mistake of not wanting to bother my mentor because I knew how busy they were, and I missed out as a result. By providing an agenda and following up, your mentor can come to meetings prepared and knowing that you are engaged. This ensures you get the most of out the relationship.

 

Jessica Tarpley Stover, CPA, is a staff accountant for the Blankenship CPA Group, a member of TSCPA’s Young CPA Workgroup and a mentor in TSCPA’s mentor program. She can be reached at jtarpley@bcpas.com.