Author Amy Summers built a successful public relations company with an approach to leadership centered on mentoring employees and creating strong relationships. Here, she addresses her mentorship-centric approach, noting: “The effort you invest in relationship-building and mentoring is one of the most valuable contributions you can make as a leader.”
Summers counsels business leaders to begin building strong relationships even before prospective employees are hired by being available for interviews rather than delegating the task to technology or employees. Hiring managers should seek to create a safe environment for candidates and consider their growth potential.
Summers advises employers to create a clear work structure and goals for success that include plenty of rewards and praise, while motivating employees by connecting their work to a larger purpose or wider community. Especially in remote work environments, managers should create intentional points of interaction and connections between employees. Because remote workplaces lack the opportunities for mentorship that would occur naturally in the office, leaders need to be intentional about creating teaching moments, even if it means getting remote employees out of their home offices.
Throughout, Summers provides practical tips for every aspect of the employer/employee relationship. For example, she suggests that managers create personas of the ideal candidate for a job, imagining a person who has the most suitable traits and characteristics for the position. She then provides sample interview questions that grow out of this exercise.
The author uses the metaphor of a caterpillar who becomes a butterfly to depict how a mentee grows, develops, and takes flight. Each chapter helpfully includes a “Metamorphosis Moment”— an anecdote that illustrates a key point of the chapter— and a “Take Flight” section offering practical advice on how to apply the provided insights.
Written in a warm, personable style, enhanced by personal stories, Summers delivers a valuable book for business managers who want better relationships with employees, especially those from younger generations just entering the workforce.
Also available as an ebook.