Conversations with my Aurora mentor are confidential, but here are a few things that I’ve learned through my meetings with her over the course of the programme.
Be open to opportunities
Career paths can be quite serendipitous and sometimes we find our way to leadership through unexpected routes. Not having a concrete plan isn’t necessarily going to prevent you from progressing, as I had feared at the start of the programme. It can even leave you open to opportunities that you may not have seen if you were laser-focused on a specific goal.
Seeing is believing
Sometimes you need to see others taking steps into roles or positions that you may not have known existed. I think this is very applicable for me, as understanding the role/team that I’m applying for is important for me to take that step.
Conversations lead to opportunities
Conversations with others in your organisation (including with those more senior than yourself) might help you learn about things that can help your development. Being open with others about what sort of experiences you’re looking for, means when they hear about a relevant opportunity, they’re more likely to mention it to you.
Leadership is a pathway
Leadership is a ongoing journey not a destination, one that evolves as we move through it, shaped by our experiences. Even in the last few months, circumstances have shifted which could impact on what opportunities I might see in the near future. Recognising that it will continue to evolve, and reflecting and mapping how things are for me now, could help me be more resilient and inform how I might lead in future.
Recognise and comment
This was something modelled by my mentor that I’d like to emulate myself. When I’d made an thoughtful comment or been proactive in my learning, she would comment on it positively. Whilst I felt a little awkward being complimented, it was really nice to hear what I was doing well. It is something I’ll try and do myself when working with others.
There’s no requirement for my mentor and I to stay in touch now that Aurora is over, but she has very kindly agreed to continue to meet with me every 3 months. We’ve already had our first post-Aurora session and I’ve been excited to talked to her about things that I’ve already implemented in my work life. She’s encouraged me to make the most of some opportunities and I’ve been able to ask her about things that she’s been working on too.
The Aurora mentor experience has been a positive one for me, and I’ve been lucky to have someone who’s been willing to engage, listen, and support me in expanding my career horizons.