A Time of Change

Kevin Wheeler is one of my favorite authors on ERE. It’s is quite uncanny how he and John Sullivan and I seem to write on the same subjects at approximately the same times. But those observations are beside the point of this piece.

Kevin’s most recent article purports to speak to recruiters. But there are a lot of people being left out of the equation and therefore being passed over for opportunities, who are being perceived as not qualified. Some who are bypassed are those in whom we thought we had developed a healthy, trusting relationship — a mentor relationship. One of the things that is tacitly understood is that a mentor will recommend their student to others as progress in a particular area is being made, the validity of the work is solid, and (of course) there is excellence in the outcome.

In these presumed mentoring relationships, the usual elements were present. There was give, which was taken. There were connections that seemed worthwhile. There was various manners of information, advice, and leads supplied and used. Yet, as is discussed in “Being Left Out,” these manner of inroads are cast aside and the treatment is as though one is a clerk.

Kevin’s words make me wonder how you and I should interpret his words of advice and how we should fortify ourselves if the person we thought was a mentor is not making referrals to us for work nor recommending our talents in any way to others; in other words, they’re not really being a mentor. Instead, the mentor seems to develop amnesia when it comes to our name.

One of the things that may be causing the failure is part of the formula for networking and developing healthy relationships. Although the “student” receives the advice and there is follow through, the disciple forgets to report back to the mentor about the results of their endeavors. As the prodigy is learning new things, they either become shy or gain new-found popularity and overlook talking about the new inroads with their guide. Thus, there’s an impression that there’s no new learning. Actually, we learn something new each day. It’s merely a matter of determining what has been learned and communicating those concepts through conversation, emailed coup sharing, or just talking about the newest rage in innovations.

It could be that the coach already has the information and is looking for something even better. It’s wise to check ourselves when we share innovations. Our social networks and public profiles provide a means of interpreting what our counselor finds interesting and useful, a push of the envelope.

Fortunately, Kevin points out the areas where a person can fail in the area of credibility, the areas that the mentor will consider and then look to another for input. He also provides a recommended means of resolution for the deficiency in lack of business credibility, confidentiality, competence, speed in follow-through.

While this may seem like a wonderful formula for solving a disappointing turn of events, it is entirely possible that the oversight by the leader is intentional and none of the proffered remedies will act as a cure. This will happen when the mentor realizes, as happens in many student-instructor partnerships, that the relationship has gone as far as is possible. And reluctantly (because the leader actually does enjoy the thoughts, input, and company of the student) the mentor must push the enthusiast away. The student has learned all that the mentor can provide. They now stand shoulder to shoulder. The student is on their way to being more productive and farsighted than the instructor.

To be certain, Life is a long-term lesson book. We only reach the end of the lessons when we close our eyes for the last time. So there are still small things that can be learned from our model. But it is at this point that we have become colleagues and perhaps even competitors. It is now time to consider what the previous mentor is doing in terms of doing business or work that causes them to be sought after. These new lessons need to be taken in and molded to our style and brand so that we develop our own book of clients, on our own merit.

This is also the time to reconsider the issue of confidentiality. Because it is entirely possible that we are now competitors and the sharing of a recent lesson or new find is actually giving away potential business. Thus, if the person who used to be a patient conversationalist and allowed us to talk freely begins to interrupt our flow of speech, it would be wise to not consider this as a new twist in the personality that has turned our friend into an impolite boor. They are still being our trusted advisor by giving an extremely subtle hint that the fledgling needs to close its beak. It’s also time to leave the comfort of the nest.

It seems to me that what Kevin was talking about was not being left out, per se, but a change of life.

Making Your Statement

There are examples all over the landscape. It’s just that we don’t always pay attention to them because when we see them, they’re out of context in relation to their usual work environment. The examples of which I speak are the nonconformists. The ones who wear the long hair, have piercings or tattoos, wear corduroys jackets and faded blue jeans, or wear ethnic clothing to a Chamber of Commerce meeting.

These are the people who hear a different drum and march to it. But they also recognize that the preliminaries must be handled before they dive into making their personal statement. I’ve met several. In fact, I admire (as many as I can remember) all who I have met. The basis of my admiration for these people is that they are comfortable with their selves.

They know who and what they are and do not feel intimidated or ashamed any part of them. They are confident about what they know and are very aware that they have a great deal to share with others. They give freely. Their conversation is open, positive, and accepting. They listen carefully. They get rid of the baggage so that they can hear and comprehend. Perhaps these latter factors are part of the success they project.

So why am I not surprised at finding a dean at USC who is another of those who hears a different drum? Earlier today, I talked with a student who took a seminar from him. The excitement and enthusiasm he inspired several months ago is still evident. This person is interesting. I repeated and then wrote his name. Michael Quick, College Dean of Research in the School of Arts and Letters. Then I read an article written about him in the USC College News. The article captures the description that my acquaintance gives. It also captures the spirit of the man who inspires.

Those of you who know me realize one of my hallmarks is analysis. Going on the little information I had about him, there was a rapid parsing of Michael Quick. He succeeds by being able to communicate with students. He does not see himself as some pompous campus dignitary. He sees himself as a leader and a manager whose purpose is to inspire. And with that inspiration is a desire to stretch toward greater accomplishments.

But his comfortable persona was not an overnight statement. It evolved over time. It was earned. And that is the important point of today’s words. And the point being driven home is essentially the same as the one made on March 1, 2006 when I spoke of the Validity of Dress Codes (now on Career and Recruiting Entrances. It’s important to get rid of the clutter that distracts from learning the essentials of your art and craft, the discipline for your chosen path. In order to fit in, it is critical to know what the basic disciplines are and be accepted into the mainstream. Once you’ve succeeded in establishing your knowledge and expertise, it’s fine to begin, little by little, to begin expressing yourself within the bounds of your particular culture. But you need to start with the basics first.

This is not just me piping philosophy. During a recent business trip, I encountered a young black female bank representative. Expressing a desire to know different perspectives, I asked her about acceptance of dreadlocks and such in the conservative world of banking life. With her several years of experience in the industry, she confirmed that it is important to start off in the conservative mode. In fact, most banks will not allow dreadlocks (or most other ethnic looks) because they are too off-putting to customers focused on their security and wealth management.

The woman had some other words of advice with regard to types of individuals who will be accepted, certain body builds, and types of personalities. But we can explore that information on another occasion. The bottom line for today is, start by getting yourself grounded and know your profession. Prove yourself. Then let your personality blossom when you’ve been accepted as an outstanding professional.

“A” Stands for Actualizing

Although this is literally the last week of school for many college students, it is also approximately ten days before admissions exams for Board certification or admission into some manner of professional school.

Many students are cramming last-minute details. They visit Starbucks or Coffee Bean or the library or any other place with lots of table space and few interruptions. Their focus is on getting the precise interpretation of the concepts according to the book, according to the professor’s lectures, according to their notes, according to the study guide.

A Finite Number

Their focus, accurately, is on earning an “A” in the class. While the focus is correct, they fail to appreciate that only 10 to 15 percent of the class will be able to earn that letter grade, if that many. The allocation may be as elite as 5 percent. Another 30 percent will be those who are allocated a letter grade of C. Then all the other grades fall into their categories and allocations. The point is, the number of “A”s that can be earned is finite.

Demonstrability

The other important thing to conceptualize about earning an “A” in the class is being able to demonstrate that one has done an exceptional job of grasping the concepts as well as being able to apply them to day-to-day situations as they arise. Therefore, the cramming in order to know the precise, correct answer is rather futile.

But How Did You Get That?

It’s very nice to have the exactly right answer. But the more important issue is to know which principle upon which to draw in order to come up with an answer. In real life, there are few, if any, black and white, absolutely right or absolutely wrong answers. The right answer depends on the circumstances.

The other essential in getting to the right answer is the type of tools used to make the evaluation. It is also important to know which tools to use in order to get the answer and why those were used compared with something else. The classic example is the hammer in order to chisel a fine point. It’s important to use the right tool. Tools are made to accomplish certain end goals. Use the one not intended for the purpose and you get something quite different from what you wanted.

Finally, it’s important to understand why the answer was derived. Is there an alternative answer that will yield the same or similar results – or better ones? And then it’s important to discern which is the optimal answer.

The Ultimate Test

It’s very nice to go into interviews for internships or for the real job and speak of the admirable academic record, a grade point average of 3.9 or 4.0. However, we need to ask ourselves what those grade point averages and grades represent. If they are merely a regurgitation of the prose that came from the professor or the textbook, and they bear no connection to real-life applications, then they are merely characters on a sheet of paper. They’re meaningless. It would have been just as useful to have copied someone else’s work, letter for letter and word for word.

Why Test

Few have researched why schools and instructors test. It isn’t for the sake of moving a student along a progressive path to a destination. In actuality, testing began because an ancient Greek dignitary wanted to discover how well his son’s tutor was training the boy. Thus, the man told the tutor to devise a series of tests for the boy that would show how much he had learned and how well. If the boy did not do well, the tutor would have been fired.

Therefore, we should not look at tests as a student’s measure of whether they have passed the course or not. They should be used to evaluate how well the instructor taught the course. However in these times, we should view tests as dual purposed. They measure how well the instructor did in conveying the information, made it inviting and enjoyable, and succeeded in making the student curious enough to want to know more. And the student’s test is how well they can apply the learning to real world situations.

Walking into Real Life

So my graduating friends, be proud of the grades you have earned. The grades represent how well you instructor conveyed their knowledge to you. The true test is not your GPA nor how many As you earned in your student life. Anyone can earn an A. The real test is how well you can immediately and accurately draw on the right tool to aid your reaching the optimal solution. And the real test is how well you actualize the range of knowledge you have from your learning. And that is what you want to convey to a potential employer during your interview. How well you can actualize and deliver.

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