UNIC: How was the mentoring year for you?
Norma: You mean, how does it feel to have the BESTMENTEEEVER!? Well, the answer is, AWEsome! Not only was Monika my mentee, but she was also my friend.
Monika: It certainly featured a lot of changes. At first, I didn't know what to expect, under pressure to do my best! And when I got to know Norma better, I didn't want to disappoint her, so I had to work a lot on myself. And when we got to know each other better, the best came for me – friendship. Our meetings were no longer a matter of discussing progress, topics were changing, very dynamically. There were days full of laughter and joy, and there were also difficult subjects where words were missing. For me, this mentoring year will always be an unforgettable experience.
UNIC: What were the main outcomes/take-aways from participating in the programme?
Norma: Listen. Share wisdom. Give advice that makes sense to the mentee. Sharing personal experiences helps those moving up the rank understand that you had struggles too. Mentors are by no means perfect. We have scars to prove it.
Monika: I received a lot of useful advice and pointers on how to deal with difficult situations. Norma helped me gain perspective and understand what is important, not only at work. However, the key thing for me was the feeling that I was not alone, that there was someone I could turn to for advice. We often have the feeling that we are alone with something or that we are the only one affected by such a problem, and Norma and Cathy (my switch mentor) explained to me that at some point in their lives, they faced the same challenge and coped with it. And it made me believe that I could do it too.
UNIC: How did you structure your sessions? How did you make the most out of each mentoring session?
Norma: Followed the goals and milestones doc that was completed from Day 1. That said, we always allowed room to discuss situations that occurred during the week or prep for an upcoming presentation. I tried to include humor in my storytelling (I like to tell many stories), but I also shared personal situations that brought us to tears, in a good way. :)
Monika: From my point of view, setting clear goals and developing them well made it easier for me to gain knowledge and prepare for each next session. We often started with a short introduction, then I discussed progress for selected goals and possible issues, and Norma gave me advice. Often, one topic turned into another. Sometimes Norma introduced me to her challenges and described how she tried to deal with them. This approach certainly broadened the scope of my experience. Midway through the programme, we had planned a meeting summarizing the progress so far, which added clear information on what else should be worked on and whether the current actions were working.
UNIC: What was key to the success of your collaboration?
Norma: The willingness to learn from each other; be vulnerable and kind. Oh and include laugher, lots of it!! Monika and I became genuine friends. I was present and fully engaged during our conversations, and she was an active participant. I am very blessed to have met a beautiful soul. (Thank you, dear Monika!)
Monika: It is difficult for me to answer this question. On the one hand, I would say that commitment, hard work and the willingness to change, but on the other hand, it was Norma's attitude and personality that motivated me the most. I think that the bond we create with the Mentor is the key to successful cooperation.
UNIC: Did you have any particular challenges during the past year? How did you overcome them?
Norma: I was furloughed due to COVID-19, and it felt like I was punched in the stomach. I focused on the things that made me happy such as mentoring, speaking on panels, writing my screenplay, and volunteering. I believe my good attitude brought me the job I have today. The universe gives back what you put in.
Monika: There were – surprisingly - many challenges. I think the trickiest of them was the dismissal of employees from my department. We had been preparing for this for a long time with Norma. Just before each difficult conversation, I repeated her advice in my head, which allowed me to keep control and conduct extremely difficult conversations in the the least painful way, for both sides.
UNIC: What advice would you give to the new group of mentors and mentees?
Norma: Stay committed! If, for whatever reason, a meeting needs to be canceled, reschedule but don’t let more than four weeks go by because you’ll lose momentum.
Monika: Open your mind and heart to this relationship. Working hard is also a must.
UNIC: What’s next for you?
Norma: More mentoring. Help diverse women make films. Write my own story. Join panels. I’m on a mission to change people’s lives in a positive way.
Monika: Changing yourself is a continuous process. I know what I want to change and now I know how to change it. And most of all, I believe that these changes are possible. There are many business challenges ahead of me and a lot to achieve and certainly many obstacles, but I know how and where to reach Norma :)