The value of mentorship is well-established when it comes to professional and personal development.
At the first Insurance Business Women in Insurance Mentoring Network virtual event on July 17, 2024, senior insurance professionals agreed that mentor relationships must have one trait: clear, specific and measurable goals.
Many people lack clear goals when entering a mentorship, and the panel of women leaders agreed that it’s essential for mentees to think ahead.
They encouraged young professionals to set concrete goals, whether learning about insurance, understanding a specific company or department, or obtaining certain skills.
“You should have short- and long-term goals,” said Lisa Klein Radford, senior vice president and senior customer relationship manager at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions.
“Be clear about your expectations with your mentors and the desired outcomes, so if you hit that goal, you can decide, ‘Do I want to carry on with the relationship, or is it time for me to see someone else?’ If you’re in the long-term phase, ensure you are looking for continuous feedback and advice from that mentor.”
One crucial aspect of a mentor-mentee relationship is preparing oneself to be a good mentee, according to Pamela Wheeler, chief diversity & inclusion officer at NFP, an Aon company.
“Many assume that people are naturally ready to be mentees, but that’s not always the case,” Wheeler said at the webinar. “Part of the mentor’s role is to prepare the mentee for the relationship and their career. As a mentee, it’s important to be coachable and have some starting point.”
As a chief diversity & inclusion officer, Wheeler has worked with many underrepresented individuals who often lack career development relationships that others could gain through familial connections or backgrounds.
“One of the first things I do is ask the person what they want,” Wheeler said, “What are your goals for this organization? What are your goals for your future? What are your goals for your career? Often, some of our underrepresented employees don’t really have that mapped out.”
Jen Klobnak, chief operating officer at RLI Insurance Group, agreed that setting tangible goals is important for mentees. But she added that goals can also develop over time.
“I’ve had mentoring relationships where the mentee didn’t have specific goals and simply wanted to work with me because I’m a leader,” Klobnak reflected. “But what do I do with that? Without tangible goals, it’s hard to provide effective guidance. The more concrete the goal, the better I can help.
“It’s also OK if those goals change over time. As you progress, you might recognize new priorities, and it’s fine to pivot.”
Consistency is another crucial factor that mentors seek in their mentees, according to Suzette LeSane, senior vice president, global housing executive at Assurant.
“For my mentees, it’s crucial to have a plan and clear goals for the relationship,” LeSane said. “While I’m not asking for daily updates, there needs to be regular, consistent communication. You must make sure there’s a level of consistency in goals, desires, and approaches, and consistency in how you take the advice that’s provided to you.”
The panellists recognized that mentorship is a reciprocal relationship. While mentees gain knowledge and support, mentors also benefit by honing their leadership skills, gaining fresh perspectives, and achieving a sense of fulfillment from contributing to someone else’s success.
Consistency should flow both ways, and mentors should also be well-prepared to invest conscious time and energy in these relationships.
“There’s nothing worse than having someone call your secretary every week trying to set up a meeting with you, and you just never have time. That’s not fair to the other person,” said Wheeler.
Developing an authentic relationship also emerged as another challenge. Radford stressed that mentors should be open about their struggles throughout their careers and their authentic values to forge true connections with their mentees.
“If you want to have an authentic relationship, you have to be your authentic self,” said Radford. “You need to be able to share your experiences so [a mentee] understands what you’ve had to go through in your career. Do they know what your values are, how that might guide you in your career and how you might make choices?”
Klobnak acknowledged the awkwardness of starting a mentor-mentee relationship through formal channels such as company programs. But she said organic connections can blossom when both sides are authentic.
“Breaking through the barrier of that first connection, I found it easiest when you’re just naturally talking to someone, and then you hit it off, and you say, ‘I’d like to spend some more time with you. Do you mind if we get together again and talk about some things?’” Klobnak said. “That natural, organic approach can be very helpful and maybe [lead to] a better outcome.”
LeSane emphasized the importance of looking beyond an individual’s “highlight reels”.
“Make sure you’re getting to know each other, not [just] from the highlight reels,” said LeSane. “Highlight reels are tempting because they show the sizzle and the cool, fun things. But I firmly believe that leaders aren’t made in those highlight reels.
“Leaders are made in the trenches. Leaders are made when you have trials and tribulations, when you have challenging conversations, and when you need to make tough, hard decisions. If you just focus on the highlight reels, you’ll miss the opportunity to grow and build yourself up.”
Did you attend the Women in Insurance Mentorship Network webinar? Please share your perspective on mentor relationships below.
