May 1, 2012 • Volume 3, Issue 9 • ISSN: 2154-3240

In This Issue

♦	Feature Article: Establishing a Mentor Relationship
♦	Ask Amanda: What’s the protocol for informational interviews?
♦	Practical Tips: Virtual Meetings

Establishing a Mentor Relationship

One of the realities of a corporate world with tight budgets, busy schedules, and an ever-changing work environment is the need for individuals to actively manage their own career development. A good way to acquire new skills, learn from others’ experience, and develop networks of associates who can help during challenging times is to engage in mentoring. Mentoring is a formal or informal relationship between two people: a senior mentor (usually outside the protégé's chain of supervision) and a junior protégé.
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	Thinking out loud can appear directive.

Practical Tips:
Virtual Meetings

It may seem easier and more efficient to schedule virtual team meetings and avoid the hassles that can arise when team members have to travel to attend in person. Beware. This may be a short-sighted strategy.

According to Dr. Robert Sutton of Stanford University, groups that work mostly through email and conference calls (vs face to face) tend to fight more and trust each other less.
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I am interested in changing industries and would like to do informational interviews but haven't done them for years. What is the protocol? C.R., Bayside, NY

This is a great question because so many people handle this situation poorly. First, recognize that the people you’re reaching out to have a “real” job to do, and they probably have more work with less resources, given our recent economic situation. Their time is extremely valuable so do your homework.
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About Us: Our Corporate Life LLC (OCL) is a company that offers a new system for reducing unnecessary workplace suffering caused by the organizational, interpersonal, and ethical issues of our time. It is founded on the belief that adhering to core human values and achieving business success are always compatible. Working with both companies and individuals, OCL helps create solutions that enable corporate employees at every level to optimize profits while enabling them to thrive in the corporate environment. OCL was founded by Amanda Mitchell to help meet the needs of people working in corporate America during this transformative moment in our nation's history. The OCL system reflects her experience and insight gained from a 20–year corporate career working with Fortune 500 companies, and as an executive coach to senior–level corporate executives.