Articles

Give Back Through Mentoring

Have you ever traveled to a place and then loved sharing with others things you enjoyed about that place?  I was recently at an event and reconnected with an old friend.  We started talking about France and the Palace of Versailles.  I traveled to France and visited Versailles at the end of last year.  My friend asked if I went to this one cafe on the right side of the palace entrance?  I had not visited that particular cafe.  He went on to tell me about the cafe and that particular street. The crepes from that shop sound amazing.  I know where I have to go the next time I’m back in Versailles.  

Like my friend's advice, we all have things we can share with others about the project management profession.  Maybe you’ve worked on large projects, in a certain software or industry, or even changed companies or positions.

We have newer project managers that would love to learn from you and have you help guide them as they begin their project management journey.  All of us can think of people that helped us start in the industry.  In fact, I have had several friends in the chapter that at various points of my career help me with insights on how to manage different projects, key things to do inside the projects and even helped me find rewarding positions.  We all have something to share.

I would encourage you to reach out to Randi Williams if you would be open to being a mentor for someone in the chapter.  The time commitment is low, at about 6 hours over 3 months.  Virtual sessions can be scheduled whenever it is convenient for you and the mentee.  Also, you can receive PDU’s for giving back.  I am currently leading another mentorship and am thoroughly enjoying the experience again.  I find these experiences help me as much as the mentee.  

So don’t be shy, step up and share your knowledge and experience with someone new to the industry.  You won’t regret it.

https://projectmanager.org/Mentorship

Jeff Lund in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France.

Jeff Lund has been a PMINUC member for over 18 years and has held various positions on the board.  Jeff is currently the VP of Member Services. Jeff has experience with projects in Finance, BioTech and Real Estate, along with career coaching and consulting.  He also enjoys traveling and plans to travel back sometime to that little street and cafe in Versailles.