Mentoring can help lift you and others up
By Micki Koehler, CONNECT by American Family Insurance Customer Experience Director
I’ve been very lucky to have women as mentors who have lifted me up during my career. Today I’m trying to pay it forward by mentoring other women, helping lift them up.
In honor of Women’s Herstory Month, I wanted to share more about how I’ve grown through these relationships and how you can, too.
Early in my career at American Family Insurance, I focused on finding mentors in more senior roles I was interested in as I grew my skills and experience. This was a great place for me to start. I learned more about these roles and the skills I needed to be successful in them. It was also a great way to learn more about other positions to see if they were a good fit for me.
As I progressed in my career, I started to look at mentorship differently. I looked for mentors who could help me develop different skills that I wanted to strengthen, such as influencing without authority. I approached a finance leader about a mentorship (even though I am not interested in finance as a career step) and it wound up being a really productive relationship.
My mentor gave me advice and guidance on building skills to help me influence without authority and in other areas. She was an excellent sounding board for challenges I was coming across and as I worked through solutions. While the mentorship wasn’t very long, I learned a lot from her.
I’ve also been lucky enough to serve as a mentor for other women. I’m currently a long-term mentor to a colleague who is now with American Family Insurance Claims Services. We’ve had great discussions about challenges and successes over the years, and we’ve become friends as well. She’s grown and developed as a leader, and it’s been wonderful to see her stretch herself outside of her comfort zone and try new things. Our relationship shows how mentorship benefits both people involved — her can-do spirit, resilience and positivity inspire me!
American Family Insurance is a member of Building Brave — a woman-led online community dedicated to supporting and advancing women. I am a mentor on the platform, and I’ve been a part of powerful conversations ranging from development to self-care to navigating the virtual work world. If you’re not a member already, check it out! You’ll find a great network of women to connect with.
Navigating a career and leadership journey as a woman can come with its own challenges. Learning from others who are further along in that journey has been invaluable to me.
As we celebrate Women’s Herstory Month, think about what you can do to lift up those around you. Consider developing mentor relationships, if you haven’t already. And, think about those who have lifted you up along the way, through mentoring or other relationships, and consider reaching out to thank them for what they brought to you and your journey. I’m sure they’d love to hear from you!
American Family Insurance Celebrates Women’s History Month
Women’s History Month is the annual celebration of the contributions women have made in the United States and recognizes the specific achievements women have made during American history. In 1987, Congress passed a resolution proclaiming March as Women’s History Month.
During the month of March, American Family Insurance celebrates Women’s History Month to recognize the history and achievements of women. We recognize that throughout history, women’s pursuit of their dreams has inspired and empowered many other women to do the same. Join us in this celebration all month.
The American Family DreamBank will host a variety of free, public events in celebration of Women’s History Month. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, DreamBank is a community destination and virtual experience focused on inspiring people to dream fearlessly and build a brighter future. Learn more here.
