Thoughts from both sides of this mutually beneficial relationship over the course of a career.
Mentorship is a bit of a buzzword these days, but with good reason. Having a mentor in the workplace isn’t just nice to have; it’s something that can shape the trajectory of your entire career. And there are different kinds of mentors suited for different stages of your professional life. Over my 30-plus years with Garver, I’ve had mentors who’ve made a big impact on my life both professionally and personally, among them: my father, Earl Sr.; Jerry Holder, Garver’s director of enterprise solutions; and former Garver CEO Brock Johnson. Because of that, I’ve been able to pay it forward and serve as a mentor to others.
Parent as mentor. I started working at Garver as a teenager with my dad who was a surveyor, and his guidance gave me a solid foundation for my career. He not only introduced me to the profession but instilled a strong work ethic in me at a young age. Working beside him during my high school and college years taught me a lot about data collection and the role of a surveyor so that, once I graduated and moved to the engineering side, I already had that knowledge. The experience of being in the field with my dad gave me:
- A good grasp of what it took to get the data collected so that we engineers could use it in our designs.
- An understanding of what to expect from the level of effort perspective.
We continued working together, many times with him performing the work on my projects, until his retirement in 2003.
Peers as mentors. Jerry Holder and I have enjoyed a peer-mentoring relationship over the years, where there’s a real give and take, learning from each other and sharing expertise. Peer mentorship is also valuable because you can push each other to strive for excellence and offer encouragement just as you would someone who works under you.
We collaborated on projects together that required a lot of interaction, but that ramped up significantly when Jerry asked me to be project manager on 30 Crossing, the Arkansas Department of Transportation’s largest construction project to date and its first design-build project. We were both business line directors: Jerry was director of transportation at the time, and I was director of construction services, now field services. This project introduced me to things that weren’t necessarily within my wheelhouse, and it taught me how to rely on those around me who had other talents.
Leader as mentor. I’ve been lucky to work for six CEOs through my years at Garver and have learned something from each of them. One, Brock Johnson, became a mentor to me at a pivotal point in my career. He was one of many people who I looked up to and probably one of the folks who had the greatest impact on my career, not necessarily as an engineer but as a leader, because I spent 20 years of my life working for him in some form or fashion.
When I joined Garver full-time I eventually ended up in Brock’s group working in aviation. A widely admired and respected leader, he taught me the importance of empowering people and creating trust, not just with clients but with those you work for and supervise. Once I’d earned his trust, he gave me opportunities to grow in my career and empowered me to take ownership of them. One example of that was when Garver decided to build a new headquarters in North Little Rock. Brock picked up the phone and called me to say, “I want you to handle this for me.” It was both humbling and affirming to have him entrust me with that project at that time in my life.
When the mentee becomes the mentor. At some point the mentee transitions to the role of mentor. It’s the way of things, a cycle that benefits everyone involved, cultivating a culture of continuous learning and support. I’ve been fortunate to mentor several people and have learned that the best thing you can do is empower them and give them supervised autonomy. Mentorship isn’t about micromanaging. It’s about encouraging mentees to get out of their comfort zone, seize opportunities, and take on challenges that help them grow.
Mentorship benefits employees and organizations. Mentorship is important for an individual’s own professional or personal development, but it’s also good for your organization – specifically in terms of employee retention and succession planning.
We all know that employee retention is a critical concern right now, and although money and benefits are important in retaining talent, so are relationships. Mentorship is a powerful tool for employee retention because it enhances overall work experience, fosters individual growth, and builds a sense of belonging.
Mentorship also plays a crucial role in effective succession planning by fostering the development of potential future leaders and ensuring a smooth transition of knowledge and skills.
In the end, mentorship is about more than just career advancement; it’s about building meaningful relationships that encourage growth. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned professional, the guidance, support, and wisdom of a mentor can be one of the most valuable assets in your career. So, seek out mentors at every stage of your journey, cherish those relationships, and remember to pay it forward when you can. Your career will be all the richer for it.
Earl Mott serves director of Field Services for Garver. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
