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One of the questions I am asked the most is, How does one go about finding a mentor? The advice that a lot of the executives interview for this newsletter give is, "Ask someone." A lot of people expect a mentor to find them and [...]

by Rik Nemanick, Ph.D.             Over the last few newsletters, I have written about the role goals play in mentoring and given advice to mentors working with a protégé and her or his goals. However, merely having goals does not mean [...]

Mentoring in Practice A Conversation with Adam Heflin, Vice President of Nuclear, The Callaway Plant, Ameren Corporation Q:  Can you give me a quick synopsis of where you are and how you got here? A: Coming out of high school I joined the Navy as [...]

by Rik Nemanick, Ph.D.             In the last newsletter, I wrote about the role setting goals plays in a productive mentoring partnership. In this issue, I take a look at the process of working with career goals in the mentoring context.  [...]

Mentoring in Practice: A Conversation with Ellen Harshman, Ph.D., Dean - John Cook School of Business - Saint Louis University Q: How long have you been at The John Cook School of Business? A: I came to Saint Louis University in 1972, and I moved [...]

by Rik Nemanick, Ph.D. Goals are important for anyone who is trying to develop or improve. They are especially important in mentoring partnerships. That said, many protégés have not have articulated their goals to their mentors. As a result, mentoring ends up being tactical, dealing [...]

Mentoring in Practice A Conversation with James A. Young, Vice President - Engineering, Naval Systems/St. Louis Site, The Boeing Company Q:  How long have you been at Boeing and its predecessor companies? What are some of the roles you have had? A: I started out at [...]

Mentoring in Practice: A Conversation with Becky James-Hatter, CEO Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri Q:  Tell me about your history with Big Brothers Big Sisters.  A: I founded Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Louisiana in cooperation with the YWCA. After 2 years there, [...]

by Rik Nemanick, Ph.D. I am often asked what the difference is between “mentoring” and “coaching”. While many people use the terms interchangeably, I think of them as being related but different. Part of the distinction can be seen in their respective definitions:  Coach: a [...]

Mentoring in Practice A Conversation with Maxine Clark, CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop Q. Tell me a little about how you started Build-A-Bear workshop. A. I have been in the retail business for over 25 years starting as an executive trainee at the May department Stores [...]

In general, I recommend against a boss trying to mentor her or his own direct reports. While providing coaching to all of one’s subordinates is encouraged, being a mentor to those who report to you can be fraught with challenges: 1. The present intrudes. When [...]

Mentoring in Practice: A Conversation with Jeff Cook, Co-Founder and CEO of ARCO Construction Co. Q. Tell me a little about your history as an entrepreneur. A. During high school and college, I worked with friends as partners painting houses, cutting lawns, sealing driveways to pay [...]