Patt Romero Cronin
General Manager,
Global Technology Delivery & Delivery Excellence,
IBM
Use Your Mentor Relationship Effectively
1. Approach Your Mentor.
“Mentors should not be chasing you. You should be actively getting on their calendar, but don’t inundate them. Reach out once in awhile, either by email or phone, or request a face-to-face meeting.”
2. Don’t Go In Cold.
“When you go to a face-to-face meeting or have a conference call with your mentor, make sure you have an agenda. You should decide what you want to get out of the meeting so you can provide your mentor with three things you want to run by them before you talk. That way, the mentor can think of things in advance and possibly do some research for you.”
3. Offer Something in Return.
“I learn as much from the people I mentor as I do from my own mentors, so always know where your mentor’s business is and offer a jewel or two that you can share with them. I ask my mentors, ‘What are the things that are keeping you up at night?’ I might be able to throw something their way that can help them with their own struggles.”
Patt's Strategies
Patt is a firm believer in the importance of a mentoring network and has even developed a fun twist to it. See how members of the network are like every woman’s favorite guilty pleasure—shoes!
The Stiletto Mentor
Stilettos are not comfortable to walk around in for very long – they look great, but they’re not meant for the long walks. Your Stiletto Mentor, therefore, is someone very senior that you go to for quick, but knowledgeable advice. When I need to confer with a senior executive, I ‘put on’ my stilettos and ask them quickly, ‘I need thirty seconds of your time to run something by you.’
The Sneaker Mentor
Running shoes are there for a good workout. When you have a big business issue or a difficult problem, your sneaker mentor is someone who can spend time walking you through different options and brainstorming with you to find solutions. A Sneaker Mentor should be someone who has been in the business for a while, is connected closely with the work you do, and can provide insight to help you make a smart decision.
The Flip-Flop Mentor
Flip-Flops are shoes that you can relax on the beach in. These are the mentors you can have a drink with while having an off-the-record conversation about business. They should have insight to the overall strategy of your business and be able to give you some direction, but they don’t have to be directly involved in the work that you do, as you’re just going to them for informal advice.
The Flats Mentor
I used to call this The Loafer Mentor, but my daughters would be appalled at my fashion faux pas, flats are now considered the more stylish option. Flats are comfortable shoes you can take a leisurely stroll in. Your Flats Mentor should be someone who is your peer – someone who you can sit down with for a comfortable talk about your work, and someone who will understand exactly where you are coming from.
Use Your Whole Wardrobe.
“Stilettos, sneakers, flip-flops, and flats are all critical shoes to have in your closet because each one serves a different purpose for a different occasion. The same goes for your mentors. Depending on the situation, you may even want to go through your entire wardrobe of mentors before you come to any conclusion. Start with your Flats Mentor, and work all the way up to your Stiletto. I use this process whenever I have a tough business decision to make, and it’s been very helpful.”
Engage the Next Generation
March 2010
When Patt Cronin’s oldest daughter Briana had outgrown camp, she encouraged the 12-year old to start a summer business. Together they brainstormed ideas and Patt walked her through the entire process—from market analysis to financial planning and everything in between. The result was SunQuest Day Camp, a fully-functional camp where education was blended alongside fun. With the help of three friends, Briana ran the business out of the house and planned creative themes like SunQuest Goes to the Stars, a day filled with activities about the galaxy. “It quickly became a sell-out,” recalls Patt. “It got to a point where moms were bribing the girls and baking them cookies to get their children a slot for the upcoming summer.”
When Briana was ready for her next challenge, she passed SunQuest Day Camp onto younger sister, Meagan, who passed it on to the youngest daughter, Alyse, who currently runs it. Each sibling received the same business guidance from their mother. “Young women have so much to offer,” says Cronin. “I think the more exposure they can get early on, the better. It gives them an appreciation for working women and for what they themselves are capable of doing. And it enables them to build the confidence they’ll need in the competitive world we now live in.”
Patt’s daughters aren’t the only ones who have benefited from their mom’s business-savvy. After years of involvement in IBM’s Hispanic Diversity Network Group, Patt was inspired to co-found La Red (meaning ‘network’ in Spanish). This program, aimed at Hispanic women in the workplace, creates a chain where women in leadership positions mentor employees directly below them, and in turn those employees mentor someone beneath them. IBM was so pleased with the outcome they have expanded La Red into branches across the U.S., Mexico, Latin America, Portugal, and Spain. And now this natural-born mentor has not only left her mark on her three daughters, but also the world!