It’s exciting to see increasing numbers of CPA firms implementing formal mentoring programs to help mold and guide younger professionals. How experienced do you need to be in order to serve as a mentor? Turns out you can mentor at any stage of your career. “Why not a young mentor?” quipped Joe Rotella, Chief Technical Officer of Delphia Consulting.
Are You a "Gentor"?
It’s essential to rethink mentoring and the significant impact it can have on your organization. Begin with a new name. “Gentor” refers to a relationship between generations. Gentoring focuses on “sharing” versus a traditional one-way relationship passed down from the senior to the junior. Professionals should be encouraged to have gentors from several different generations for example, a Gen X, a Gen Y and even a young baby boomer.
Breaking the Ice
Here are five key talking points to discuss with your gentor: understand what motivates each other; understand each other’s value system; understand each other’s communication style; understand each other’s approach to work; and understand what outside of work is important to each other. Tweak your program so it solves the challenges that your firm faces attracting new talent, work-life balance, rewards and compensation, client service, and leadership succession.
After Ice Is Broken
Here are five questions for you to discuss at future sessions. It is important to tailor these questions relative to the issues facing your firm: How do we attract and retain new talent?; How do we make this a better place to work?; How do we make the practice more efficient?; How do we improve our level of client service?; and How do we attract new clients?
Conclusion
Start today. Rethink your mentoring and potential gentoring relationships. You might be surprised at the hidden potential that exists by simply broadening your perspective and finding new ways to relate to those around you.
Tracy Crevar Warren, president and founder of The Crevar Group. Warren can be reached at (336) 889-GROW (4769). Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the AICPA or the Journal of Accountancy.