Nov 30, 2023
Kendall Payton, editorial associate, NACM National
All of us start our careers as a new professional with little-to-no experience, hungry for education and excited for what lies ahead. Mentorship is the bedrock of professional growth and development in the modern workplace. It is the bridge between experience and aspiration.
For those seeking guidance, mentors provide a unique opportunity to tap into the wisdom of those who have walked the path before, offering valuable insights, advice and a safe space to learn from both successes and failures. Mentors often find renewed inspiration and a sense of fulfillment in guiding the next generation of talent.
Mentors can help develop your personal professional development and set goals and hold you accountable to achieve those goals. In fact, employees with a mentor are five times more likely to get promoted than those without a mentor, and 71% of Fortune 500 companies have mentoring programs, according to research from McCarthy Mentoring.
NACM’s Mentors & Milestones program gives members the opportunity to learn from seasoned credit professionals and network with other industry leaders. “All of what we do from a mentor’s standpoint is valuable to somebody,” said Scott Chase, CCE, CICP, global director of credit at Gibson Brands, Inc. (Nashville, TN). “A truly great mentor is hard to find, difficult to part with and impossible to forget. The discussion group was born out of the need to get the conversation going and there are so many professionals who have done it all and want to share what they’ve learned over the course of their careers.”
D’Ann Johnson, CCE, credit manager at A-Core Concrete Cutting, Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT) has more than 25 years of experience as a credit professional. As one of the featured mentors of NACM’s Mentors & Milestones group, Johnson said mentors and mentees are all in the same community regardless of the specific industry. “Having a community to go to and ask questions or someone with experience that you can tap into and learn from is what this program is all about,” she said. “You can learn so much, no matter what side of the coin you are on.”
As the older generation is starting to retire, eventually the torch will need to be passed. Passing the valuable knowledge along to those who are next in line is a great way to give back to a profession that has given you fulfillment. Mentorship can help the credit industry grow stronger, said Terri Eggebeen, assistant manager, credit and collection specialist at Fechheimer Brothers Company (Cincinnati, OH). “Within the discussion group, credit professionals can connect with others who are in the same position they are that have the same questions or issues and get assistance,” Eggebeen added. “The more meetings we have and conferences we attend, we can promote the group to grow even more.”
Mentors come in all different shapes and sizes. Mentorship takes experience and passion for what you do. “I love hearing how different people and industries navigate credit, corporate politics, build teams and determine best practices. I’ve even incorporated several ideas and concepts that have been brought up,” added Johnson. “Never stop being a student! Listen, learn and be open to new ideas or different viewpoints.”
For more information about the Mentors & Milestones program, visit our website.