A Message from your Chapter President

Lorraine Lewis President 2011

I hope you've had an opportunity to attend one of our exciting programs this year. Thanks to members like you, we've had three full-to-capacity events: February's mentoring and networking event, the "Future of TV Consumption" program in March, and our "Listen and Connect" mentoring breakfast in April.  

As I circled the room at the "Listen and Connect" mentoring breakfast, I overheard passionate dialog between our executive mentors and multiple tables of mentees, engrossed in powerful success stories and nuggets of wisdom.

Where else can you get a centralized download of career advice, inside scoop and "been there, done that" anecdotes - in one room, in two hours, and from such a successful group of executives? The buzz of enthusiasm filled the room, and it was evident that mentoring, now more than ever, is critical. 

I recently stumbled across a Harvard Business Review blog article - "Demystifying Mentoring"¹ by Amy Gallo - that "debunks" many misconceptions about mentoring relationships. In the article, Gallo outlines four mentoring myths:

Myth #1:  You have to find one perfect mentor.

Gallo refers to the term "developmental network" coined by Kathy E. Kram -  Shipley Professor in Management at the Boston University School of Management, and author of Mentoring at Work:  Developmental Relationships in Organizational Life. ²  Unlike the singular word "mentor," "developmental network" suggests a group of people who you seek out for advice, and have your best interests at heart.

                              Read the rest of Lorraine's message here 

Save the Date

WICT NorCal

Golf Tournament & Clinic

Poppyridge Golf Course, Livermore

June 9

WICT NorCal

Leadership Boot Camp: Best Practices for New Leaders

Location TBD

August 11

WICT NorCal

Coaching Clinic

Comcast Spotlight, San Francisco

September 8

WICT NorCal Events Recap 

WICT NorCal kicked off our year with some spectacular events:  

In February, we hosted our first ever "Power of Mentoring" networking event. The turnout was double than expected, and everyone had the opportunity to mingle at the fun and chic Press Club in San Francisco. Comcast Area Vice President Doug Schulz and Comcast Area Sales Director Kelly Conner spoke about their experiences in the industry and provided valuable insights on how to best leverage mentor-mentee relationships to get ahead.

Future of TV Consumption event

WICT NorCal's tech event in March, the "Future of TV Consumption" at SCTE's Vendor Days at the San Ramon Marriott, was hugely successful and enlightening. Attendees were able to take part in an exciting panel discussion led by moderator Mugs Buckley, Sales Development Director at Federated Media.  Panelists included: Ryan Currier, VP Comcast, Product Development (creator of the Xfinity App); Sharon Mandell, Silicon Valley, CTO; Sachin Sathaye, Senior Marketing Manager, Video Solutions, Cisco; Michael Yang, Managing Director, Interactive Capital Management, Comcast;Alexandra Zafiroglu, Senior Researcher/Anthropologist, Intel. 

Listen and Connect event

And in April, we held our ever-popular "Listen and Connect" mentoring breakfast at the Pleasanton Hilton. Attendees had the pleasure of hearing keynote speaker, Curt Henninger, Comcast California Regional Senior Vice President speak about his own career journey and his experiences with mentors along his path.  WICT Vice President & Comcast California Director of Human Resources, Jill Thompson shared insights on mentoring, including roles and responsibilities of mentors and mentees, benefits to each, and other tools and tips for personal and career development.Speeches were followed by a "speed mentoring" session, where attendees had the opportunity to converse with top figures in the industry who shifted from table to table in 15-minute intervals to share their advice with their table members.

In addition, on May 10, we hosted a free online webinar "Are You Indispensable?" The topic Learning How to Make Yourself More Valuable to Your Company was moderated by Ann Carlsen, Founder and CEO of Carlsen Resources, a premier provider of executive search and consulting services in media and telecommunications. Carlsen shared with webinar participants' strategies that included industry flexibility and adjustment, knowledge and skill specialization, leadership, job creativity and personal branding. The webinar concluded with the announcement of Comcast Sacramento's Michelle Sprague as the raffle winner of an iPod touch, courtesy of event sponsor TV One. For a replay of the webinar, go to http://timewarnercable.adobeconnect.com/p99062749/).

Stay on top of our events...Visit our Facebook Page at facebook.com/norcalwict 

Connect

To your peers, your industry, and everything around you. 

You can't move forward without understanding where you are. So get to know your environment. The people you work with. The industry you work in. Immerse yourself in the economics and business practices that affect your company, your clients, and your customers. Keep your ear to the ground. Be aware of what your competition is up to, and gain the upper hand. Build a support system for yourself and those within your community. Great leaders get connected. Stay connected. And use every ounce of information to their advantage. 

I think we all can agree that connecting and staying connected is important, particularly when it comes to networking and searching for a job. It is easier to find a job when you have a job and to be a friend before you need a friend. But with so many pressures internal and external, how do you find the energy and the time to connect.  Financial concerns and increased responsibilities at work can impact physical health. The job loss of a spouse, having family move (back) in with you can create stress and take a toll. If you are a Baby Boomer, not having enough saved for retirement or being on pace for retirement, can take your mind off immersing yourself in your community and giving back. 

Read more...

-- Cheryl Chambers, Esq