Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Years ago, Chris Talarico vowed that if she ever owned abusiness, she would not treat her employees the way her formeremployers had treated her-often insensitively, authoritatively andwithout regard for her professional or personal development. Today,the 35-year-old BIZ Experiences owns two employment agencies in WestReading, Pennsylvania--Chris Talarico and Associates Inc.Employment Services and Reliable Personnel Resources-which she runswith the help of 13 staffers. Despite the passage of years and herbusy schedule, Talarico still takes her old vow seriously. Sheemphasizes teamwork and having fun on the job: The boss has beenknown to reward hard work by sending her whole staff on anall-expenses-paid trip to a day spa or by whisking them off in achauffeured limousine to Atlantic City, New Jersey, where eachemployee receives $100 to spend as he or she chooses.
Talarico also believes in acting as a mentor to her staff,guiding their professional development and even taking a hands-onapproach to personal problems. When an employee needed an apartmentfast, Talarico was on the phone that same day, helping to find hera place to live. "We work like a family here," Talaricosays. "I feel that if I work with each person, the team willbenefit and, ultimately, the business will grow. Also, helpingothers can enhance my own skills."
For young BIZ Experiencess immersed in the daily frenzy of tryingto build a business, mentoring others may seem like a frivolous useof time. Besides, aren't mentors supposed to have a few silverthreads in their hair and plenty of experience under their belt?Not necessarily, says Chip Bell, senior partner with PerformanceResearch Associates Inc., a Dallas international consulting firmthat helps businesses create an environment of learning andloyalty. BIZ Experiencess of any age can mentor-that is, helpemployees to learn. Far from being a time-waster, effectivementoring can give a growing business a competitive edge. Considerit an investment of time and a way to create a solid foundation forthe business.
"We are in the middle of a major war for talent," saysBell, the author of Managers as Mentors: Building Partnershipsfor Learning (Berret-Koehler Publishers Inc., $16.95, www.bkpub.com) and co-author of Beep!Beep!: Competing in the Age of the Road Runner (Warner BooksInc., $24, www.twbookmark.com)."Mentoring is a critical ingredient in every manager'srecipe for survival in a fast-changing world of enterprise. It isthe most crucial managerial [skill] needed to corner the onlymarket that matters: talent." "Research has shown thatmentoring has a major impact on retaining talent," adds Bell."It is also one of the key things employees are interested inhaving as part of their employment agreement."
Mentoring involves four key ingredients, according to Bell. Theyare:
- Humility, or relinquishing efforts to control everything.It's indicative of a leader who is devoted to learning, notfeeding his Napoleon complex.
- Inclusion, or listening intently to employees to discover thefeelings behind words and responding in a way that acknowledgesthose feelings.
- Generosity, or giving the gift of advice and feedback conveyedwith a passion for learning and concern for the learner, withoutexpecting anything in return.
- Freedom, or pushing the relationship beyond the boundaries thatare normally expected. "Mentoring is an honor," Bellsays. "With the exception of love, there is no greater giftone can give than the gift of growth." Talarico'smentoring strategy touches employees daily. Every morning, shesends e-mail messages that are inspirational or acknowledgeachievements. She regularly collaborates with individuals to setand evaluate goals, and she provides outside training to enrichstaff members. Once each quarter, the group also goes off-site toset goals and recap what has happened over the past three months.In addition, Talarico requires that, as part of the learningprocess, employees give something back to the community: Everyoneis expected to be periodically involved in a volunteerproject.
"Mentoring my staff is the most fulfilling part of my joband gives me the greatest sense of happiness and achievement,"Talarico says. "I've found that if young people havepersonality and drive, you can mentor them to out-perform peoplewith 20 years of experience." That's the kind ofinvestment that will soon pay off monetarily and personally.
Pamela Rohland is a freelance writer from Bernville,Pennsylvania
Brain Food
Want to learn more about mentoring? Check out Chip Bell'stelevised two-hour training program, Managers As Mentors: BuildingPartnerships for Learning, which aired on the PBS Business Channel.For a copy of the videotape, contact Jackie Davey at (703) 837-1205or jdavey@ntuc.com.
Ask Away
By Karen E. Spaeder
You might think you have all your proverbial ducks in a row whenit comes to running your business, but every now and then, a littlestart-up advice from the pros can help. SCORE (The Service Corps ofRetired Executives), for one, offers free one-on-one small-businesscounseling via e-mail for all your burning start-up questions."SCORE e-mail counseling best serves the BIZ Experiences who islooking for a quick, basic answer," notes Horace Mann,who's been a SCORE counselor for the past 12 years and a partof the Web counseling team for the past two. "For instance,how to write a business plan, prepare a cash-flow analysis orstructure a company-or perhaps answers to specific questionsrelated to product design." What's more, you can checkback with your counselor if additional questions pop up along theway. Log on to www.score.org toget the ball rolling.
Contact Source
Chris Talarico and Associates Inc., (610) 478-1151,www.christalarico.com
