You cant know it all Mentoring across ages and stages

You cant know it all Mentoring across ages and stagesYou cant know it all Mentoring across ages and stagesWhen most of us picture a supervision relationship, we tend to imagine a wiser, older counterpart taking a young and impressionable person under their wing, though thats not always the case.While interviewing people for an article about getting rid of generational labels in the workplace, I learned that ratgebering relationships can come in many different forms and span many unexpected age groups.Ive come to agree that Mentorships can transcend age, according to Nancy A. Shenker, CEOtheONswitchmarketing.Shenker says No matter what age or stage you are at in your career, you cant possibly know it all. For that reason, its always helpful to have a trusted but not overly invested third party to try to help you with big picture decisions. Having an experienced sounding board and Szu sichpa to guide you through decisions - big and small - can be invaluable according to Shenker.She a lso believes that having one whos not too close to you is probably your best option. Friends and family members can be biased, hired contractors may be concerned with their own profits rather than your well-being, but a true mentor is compassionate, empathetic, and balanced in his or her role, Shenker argues. But what about the age thing? Should you look for someone with mora experience or simply different experiences and skill sets?The verlottern workspace can be anything from a sleek high-tech corporate setting to your friendly neighborhood Starbucks. Its also important to realize that mentorship relationships have adapted along with the evolving workplace so that its entirely possible that a former stay-at-home-mom who returns to the workplace may be mentored by a tech-savy teen while a second-career baby boomer might find themselves asking a millennial for help in brushing up on their social media skills.Shenker, who is a champion of untersttzung across different age groups shar es an anecdoteOne of my best sources of hiring advice was a former client of mine who was barely 20 but had his own business since he was 16. Shenker also currently works with a woman about half her age who has exceptional process management and organizational skills (one of Shenkers weak areas) and she helps keep me on track.Conversely, Shenker also says that her sometimes mentor is embarking on her own entrepreneurial journey and I mentor her in that area. Co-mentoring across the generations will become more common as each group cultivates unique skills.What should you look for in your own mentor? A successful mentor is honest and balanced. You dont need a bobble-head mentor who will just agree with your decisions and perspectives, but rather a good questioner and listener, Shenker says. In addition, a great mentor will gently shut down negative thinking and prompt action - and even suggest a protege seek out different types of experthelp (resume writing, therapy to overcome pers onal issues, additional training), if the mentor isnt qualified to help in those areas.More than anything its give and take. A great mentor will make herself available for time-sensitive decision-making. A great mentee/protegee wont take advantage of his mentors time or immediately reject adviceotherwise its a big waste of time and effort for everyone, as opposed to a productive coaching relationship, explains Shenker.Before searching for your own mentor or mentee consider the followingAge and Experience Is it important to you that your mentor be at a specific point in their career or have a certain number of years of experience? Why or why not? Unless you find a connection and comfort zone, youre unlikely to learn from each other.Proximity Do you hope to have semi-regular catch ups over coffee, or is checking in via email or text more convenient? Think outside the box and offer options. Your being a night owl might be the perfect motivation for someone in a different time zone to c hat first thing in their morning.Availability Can you truly devote an hour or two a week to helping someone move up in their career? If not, consider stepping back from the relationship or volunteering to connect a specific time each month.Outlook Check out their social media feeds. Do they spout platitudes, or do they seem to be original thinkers? Are they bitter or optimistic? Try to connect with someone who shares your vision.Expectations Like any great relationship, its important to communicate. If you feel your mentor isnt paying enough attention or your mentee takes your advice for granted, youre probably not a great fit.Reciprocation Maybe youre great at programming but not so great at pitches. Maybe the mentor of your dreams loves talking while in the car, but hates driving. Find ways to show your appreciation for their time, experience, and abilities. Offer to drive someone to their next meeting, or spring for their Lyft, if thats what it takes to have one on one time toget her.Boundaries While the best mentoring relationships can feel like close friendships, you should always remember to respect agreed upon boundaries. Helping someone with their career doesnt mean being available 24/7 or for every meltdown.

The t-shaped approach to building a 21st century career

The t-shaped approach to building a 21st century careerThe t-shaped approach to building a 21st century careerThe world of work is changing quickly.In the 21st century, careers are no longer narrowly defined by core skills, but through complementary skills and learning agility.If you can figure out the right approach to improve your skills, you will have a massive edge over everyone else.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreYour career has a huge effect on how you live your life.The career you choose can determine where you live, how flexible your life is, what you can do in your free time, and sometimes who you end up marrying.Your skills, knowledge, and competency (past, present) are either helping you advance your career or hindering your progress in life.Knowledge begets knowledge, and new competencies drive careers forward.As the world of work continues to change, your choices w ill determine if your career can stand the test of time.Your career path is a work in progress.Its something you shape yourself to build authority and reputation, hence the need to consistently invest in yourself in the best way possible.The t-shaped approach to building a lastingcareerThe term t-shaped isnt new.An alternate phrase for t-shaped is generalizing specialist.The top of the T is the generalized part.The upright stem of the T is the deeper understanding of your general knowledge?- ?your expertise.The term was popularized by Tim Brown, the CEO of the innovation and design firm IDEO.Dr. Phil Gardner, Director of the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University, once described the ideal job candidate as a liberal arts student with technical skills or a business/engineering student with humanities training?- ?in other words, a t-shaped candidate.He notes that while the engineers are out in front on this concept?- ?every field will require T profession al development.The t-shaped approach has been in use since the 1990s by mostly consulting and technical companies to recruit and manage talent.IDEO and McKinsey Company have used this concept for years find world-class workers who are adaptable and can solve problems in creative ways.T-shaped professionals are experts in one or two disciplines (the vertical bar) and have also mastered other complimentary skills (horizontal crossbar) that make it easier for them to adapt in any environment.Complementary skills include the ability to work effortlessly with others, the ability to apply knowledge across disciplines, the ability to see from other perspectives, and an understanding of fields outside your area of expertise.Embracing the T-shaped approach to learning throughout your career can be really valuable to your career.Some vertical knowledge can become easily become outdated but when you have horizontal or niche skills, you can easily differentiate yourself in a crowded market.Are you ready for thefuture?To survive the changing world of work, focus on acquiring a variety of timeless horizontal skills as you improve your core skills.Where do you have a depth of knowledge or expertise?Once you know that, build other competencies around it.Youll not only stay versatile but also get a better understanding of the work you naturally gravitate to, which you can specialize in later on.T-shaped professionals build a wealth of knowledge over time and have the ability to quickly learn new tasks.They have deep knowledge and skills in a particular area of specialization, along with and the desire and ability to make connections across disciplines.T-shaped people have both depth and breadth in their skills.Broaden and deepen your set of skills. Its the only way to build a meaningful and lasting career in the 21st century.Interdisciplinary knowledge is what allows us to see with new eyes.Remember, change is the only constant.Pay attention to the trajectory of your industry and stay on the forefront by learning new applicable skills.Stay a little ahead of the curve?- ?just enough to know whats likely to last and improve yourself accordingly.In an increasingly connected and interdependent world, if you have sufficient depth in a few?- ?or even many?- ?domains (comb-shaped), you can often be more valuable than a specialist.Transforming into a T-shaped (or comb-shaped) professional could be just what you need to take your career to the next level.This article first appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How to Juggle Work and a Sick Child

How to Juggle Work and a Sick ChildHow to Juggle Work and a Sick ChildRarely is it convenient for working parents to stay home with a sick child. When you binnensee your childs nose running, you reach for a tissue but also say a special prayer Please, please dont let my child get sick. If the prayer isnt answered anxiety can bubble up because you will be unsure how your work will react if you need to take a day off or have to work from home while taking care of your poor little kid. To help lessen anxiety over a sick day here are some ideas for keeping a sick child from wreaking havoc with your work schedule. Save up a Few Personal Days You can count on a baby or toddler in daycare coming home with a cold or ear infection a couple of times each flu season. School-age children are notorious for passing germs back and forth. If you have a few personal days saved up for these occasions youll feel less anxious about taking time off. Create a Plan With Your Supervisor Proactively meet with your manager to create a plan and set priorities for when your child is sick. This is important if you dont receive paid time off. Bringing it up ahead of time helps you anticipate if youll have a rigid or flexible work schedule and earns brownie points for when you call in at 7 a.m. after being up all night with a vomiting preschooler. Stay Ahead of Your Work Manage your work so you get the most important tasks done early in the day. That way, when you get a 3 p.m. call to pick up a sick child at school or daycare, youll be able to leave the office with major projects on track. Make a Plan With Your Significant Other Talk to your spouse or partner about how youll handle sick children. If your spouses work schedule cant accommodate sick days, find a way to make up for you shouldering the load. Maybe he (or she) can return home early so you can catch up on work at night. Or take a weekend day to come into the office while your spouse handles things at home. Cre ate Emergency Caregivers Cultivate emergency caregivers among your friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. You will most likely need help at some point and these relationships can carry you through.Look for favors you can do for your neighbors and fellow parents from school or daycare. Talk to your childs aunts, uncles, andgrandparents about babysittingin an emergency. Be clear about the precautions you will take to keep them from getting sick. (This is easier when your child can feed and dress herself and merely needs an adult in the house.) Research Back-Up Care Many cities have an organization offering prescreened caregivers who will come to your house at the last minute to watch your child. They usually charge a hefty fee. Moreover, your child wont know the person and may have someseparation anxietywhen you leave for work. Still, its good to have a phone number on hand and to understand how the service works before your child gets sick. The last thing you want is to be askin g about background checks at 8 a.m. when you have a 9 a.m. meeting. Another possible resource foremergencychild careis your childs school or child care center. Ask around to see if teachers or teachers aides are looking for extra work and have a flexible schedule. Stay in touch with teachers you like who leave the school they may be happy to pick up occasional babysitting during theworkday. Prevent the Illness Its tempting to ignore sniffles or a small cough and hope that they go away. But if your child starts sneezing on a Saturday morning, pay attention. It may be a warning sign of an upcoming virus. If your kid seems to be lagging a bit, consider adjusting your weekend schedule to include more rest. A late night at the movies may be the stress that turns the sniffles into a full-blown cold, when a short video at home, early bedtime and big glass of orange juice wouldve nipped it in the bud. In fact, you can ward off some colds by always planning a family schedule that includ es downtime and lots of healthy sleep. Overscheduled kids who stay up too late are more likely to get sick. Edited by Elizabeth McGrory