The Mentee Becomes the Mentor
From the start of my academic career. I actively sought out mentorship. I was looking for people who would provide guidance, feedback, and who were willing to share their experiences and lessons learned. One that remains a mentor today, is Charmaine McClarie.
I first met Charmaine when I saw her speaking at my college leadership summit to a group of students completing a certificate program for campus leaders. I sent her a thank you note and a few months later, I traveled with my student club, where I served as vice president, to a professional women’s networking event in San Francisco. Charmaine was the keynote speaker and towards the end of her talk she said to me, “Is your name Precious? Did you send me a thank you note? If you lived in San Francisco, I’d make you my assistant.” I, sitting in the far back of the room, raised my hand and said, “I have a car!” I was encouraged to show up and to ask for what I want. Speaking up in that moment has led to a 20+ year relationship that has been rewarding for us both.
What I admired about Charmaine, and still do, is her powerful presence. You cannot miss her in a room. She purposefully enters spaces—whether an airport or onto a stage. She stands out. And I wanted that! I was inspired to know and understand my own truth so that I could stand with confidence and contribute knowing what I bring to a table, to an office, to a team.
She was also a dynamic speaker! I have studied speeches and speaker delivery since college. I was transfixed on studying her ways of connecting so deeply with her audiences. I aspire to have a speaking career to this day. Watching her connect with the room continues to amaze me.
Most importantly, from Charmaine I learned that I had everything that I needed. She allowed me space to grow and learn and change. She believed in my talent and often complimented my resourcefulness, thoughtfulness, and my unique skills and talent to support an executive and anticipate their needs. I learned that I had perseverance, that I had intuition, and that I had heart. Charmaine once told me that what she admired about me was that I see the storm all around me and I take it in, get my umbrella up, and walk right through it.
Receiving and building on positive feedback was never a challenge for me. I was working hard and sharing along the way. I wanted to be acknowledged and recognized for being a positive contributor. I may not have always understood the vision that Charmaine and others had or saw in me, but I knew that what I brought to was needed and valuable. I delivered regularly, exceeding expectations. I took initiative, and expected for my work to be seen.
Pro Tip: Cultivate mentors that are leaders who are genuinely invested in your success. Being able to receive positive and critical feedback from them will be crucial for your personal and professional growth.
As I progressed in my career, this mentee became the mentor. I met Sequoia Hall when we worked together at a nonprofit organization in Berkeley, CA. Together, we worked well, supporting and encouraging one another. She was eager to learn and to share her story and I was eager to hear it! She brought a lightness to the office that was refreshing and always delivered quality work with a smile. She was thoughtful, had stellar critical thinking ability and studied what was going on around her. That was the most impressive part! She brought her whole self into the building and I wanted to affirm that in every way.
One day she said, “I am watching how you navigate these workplace dynamics..” I was floored! At the time I was going through a very difficult challenge at work serving as the first woman of color and Black woman at the director level in a traditional nonprofit organization that was practicing all of the old ways of being. I was treated poorly and I needed to navigate the challenge with some grace and fortitude. All that time I had no idea that I was being watched so closely.
Like Charmaine did for me, simply living her life as a self-employed Black woman, owning every room she walked into, staking her claim, I have learned that I have been an inspiration to Sequoia. While her tenure at the nonprofit was a temporary student role, she left a positive impression on all that she touched. The fact that she saw and continues to see me as a mentor is humbling and the warmest compliment that I have ever received. It makes me feel like the people who poured into me are rewarded by my naturalness to support others.
10 years ago, when I launched my company, I knew that reliability and delivering for my clients was important. I also knew that having a polished personal brand was important. I learned this from Charmaine. How I positioned myself and loved myself would be a selling point for my clients, would attract an incredible team, and would inspire others to seek, become, and achieve. You won’t always know who’s watching. This I learned from Sequoia.
-Precious J. Stroud