Mentorship

Mentorship: It’s the Best Advice We Can All Give Each Other

By Cindie Sullivan, CPRP, AAPRA Mentorship Chair

When NYSRPS Interim Executive Director Michael Mendrick asked me if I would write an article for The Voice for March 2022, I initially suggested waiting until the winter, so it would coincide with the Mentorship program offered annually by the American Academy of Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) in which emerging leaders in parks and recreation directors, as well as students of parks, recreation, and related fields are paired with experienced professionals for a formal eight-month period to help strengthen their professional development. Michael shared that this spring issue of The Voice was dedicated to staffing and human resources, and that perhaps I could share additional thoughts about what mentorship means. I thought about it for a few days, and realized that it is a perfect time to discuss just that because mentorship isn’t just about a younger professional learning from a more experienced director, nor does it need to occur in any sort of formal setting. It’s about having people in our professional lives with whom we can share ideas, discuss goals, and listen to feedback about how to tackle a current work situation. After 40 years in our profession, I still choose to have mentors, and one that I am proud to call my mentor is Bill Zimmermann, a Past President of NYSRPS. Approximately 10 and 15 years ago Bill and I collaborated to act as facilitators to develop strategic plans for both NJRPA and NYSRPS, at the request of the then current boards of directors for our respective state associations. Over the past 25 years, we also served on NRPA committees together, including the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council. Many times, we discussed work issues, shared polices that one agency had and the other was developing, and also introduced each other to other colleagues in our professional networks, so that we could expand our circles of professional relationships around the country. Sometimes it may seem daunting to find the right person or persons to have as mentors in your life. Typically, the person is not a direct supervisor, although they may be in your workplace, if your agency is large enough. It may also be someone that you have met while serving on a committee in NYSRPS or even someone in a related field that you serve with in the community, on a non-profit board or even as a youth coach. I know of many instances in which a younger professional has asked a more experienced one to go for a cup of a coffee or to lunch, to discuss situations such as: • Best methods to prep for the CPRP exam • How to approach a supervisor with whom there are relationship issues in the workplace • How to develop skills that the mentor may have (and the mentee wants to develop) • Reviewing a proposal for a new program before it is submitted • Assistance with updating a resume and how to write a cover letter • Work/life balance The only hard part is taking the initiative to reach out to someone to form that relationship. Sometimes mentorship is informal, such as asking for guidance on a specific issue. And other times, it is more formal, in which the mentee has a goal or goals which they want to pursue, with coaching from the mentor. In that instance, regular short meetings would be agreed upon by both parties, usually one or twice a month (or whatever works between them). Both parties work toward achievement of the goal, by investing in the professional collegial relationship. I know of a mentor and mentee who last year read a self-help book together because the mentee had identified that she needed more self-confidence and was unconsciously sabotaging her own abilities to advance her career. The two people shared with me that their discussions after each section of the book were enlightening for both of them. At the end of the project, the mentee has now applied for two promotions and awaits the interviews. Whether you seek to create informal or more formal mentoring relationships, be proactive about nurturing them. As the mentee, it should be more incumbent upon you to take the first steps in reaching out to suggest a meeting and stating what your intentions are. Don’t worry if you aren’t sure! The great thing about our profession is that almost everyone I know is willing to listen and give of themselves to make all of us and the profession the best that it can be.

It sometimes takes a while to get to know each other and not all relationship work. If someone suggested a potential mentor to you or if you were matched in a formal program, and you don’t hit it off, it’s alright to say that perhaps this isn’t a good match. If you are an Aquatics Coordinator and want to expand your skills in that genre, and you were paired with someone from a Conservation Agency, there’s a good chance that you’ll both want to ask for new folks. You will both want to make a difference. If you think it’s personality though, give yourselves time to develop the relationship. Remember, you’re not friends, you’re in a mentorship. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have fun! Our profession is all about fun! And it’s also filled with daily stresses of being both a public servant and ensuring our elected officials look good. In between that are all of the wonderful programs, special events, facilities, and park services that we provide that make the communities special places. Share as much as you feel comfortable about your life. After a while, you’ll discover that both people benefit from a successful mentorship. In the AAPRA’s formal program, I’ve had three different mentees in the past four years, and they were all great people who are making a difference in their park systems. I’ve also learned things from each of them. They will soon be ready to mentors others themselves. That’s part of the passion of parks and recreation, to nurture and foster professional development within our professionals. Someone shared this quote with me recently. While it says “she”, it can be inclusive of all of us: “When you get to where you’re going, turn around and help her too. For there was a time, not too long ago, when she was you.” We can all use more mentors.

“When you get to where you’re going, turn around and help her too. For there was a time, not too long ago, when she was you.”