Mentoring the Next Generation of Female Executives and CEO Leaders

Have you ever thought about what a CEO leader was before they had that position?

Did they start as a cashier at the local grocery store before climbing their way to the chain’s C-suite?

Was being among CEO leaders always their dream, or did something happen in life that put them on that path by surprise?

Everybody has a past, and everybody’s past looks different, but what we see among many CEO leaders is that they were mentored by someone early on. Someone who saw potential in them, took them under their wing and showed them the ropes, maybe even helped them make a few connections, and taught them how to prepare themselves for the future that is now their reality.

Behind every thriving company is a thriving CEO, and we want to ensure that some of those spots are reserved for strong female leaders. So, how do we do that?

We start by mentoring that next generation today, and here’s how:

No. 1: Remember that mentors aren’t just for young professionals.

You don’t have to find someone fresh out of college and brand new to their career to mentor. You can find someone who is halfway through their career and maybe they are looking for that next big thing in life. Maybe they want to go out with a big bang in 20 years. You are looking for someone who has not yet advanced as far as you, someone you can say, “been there, done that” to.

When looking for a mentee, look for someone who has the beginning qualities of a leader, an executive. You are looking for someone who has it deep within them, it might just need to be nurtured and primed.

No. 2: Teach them to read the room.

One of the most important skills in nearly any career, and really any life situation, is having the ability to read the room.

Being able to read a person’s body language: what type of mood they are in, what they are expecting from you, and when is the appropriate time for certain responses, will give them the tools they need to be successful in any situation.

Especially at the executive level, it is often all in how and when you present your message – which makes reading the room vital.

No. 3: Develop a career board.

Nearly every success story starts with a plan of some sort. At the beginning of your mentor-mentee relationship, sit down with them and help them develop a career map. This could involve updating or reworking one they previously developed or starting one from scratch.

This is the time when the conversation about next steps and how to get there should happen.

No. 4: Create opportunities for them and teach them how to do that for themselves.

As someone who is further along in your career and likely at a senior level, you have the ability to create opportunities for your mentee to learn. Seek out these opportunities and provide these to them as a way of “showing them the ropes.”

But, also don’t forget to show them there are ways to create opportunities and positions for yourself. Teach them to constantly seek out new ways to learn and new things to learn, to openly discuss with their supervisor how they can work this into their current positions.

No. 5: Offer encouragement.

Learning and growing is hard. While people need to know when they are doing something wrong or have room for improvement, it is also equally important to let them know when they are doing something right.

Don’t forget to praise your mentee with words of encouragement along the way. You want them to progress to be a CEO leader who also offers words of encouragement to their employees.

The Future Is Now

We know, the future isn’t technically now, but the people of the future should be our focus now. Start training people and preparing them for those future roles that they will one day grow into.

Having been a CEO myself, I value the people who have been there for me on my journey – the people who have helped me get to where I am today. It's for this reason I so value the opportunity to provide the same type of mentorship to other future female leaders. 

To better our tomorrow, we should start our planning today.

To contact Clara, email clara@auroratsi.com.