#WomenMentoringMen

On #InternationalWomensDay, it warms my heart to see so many well-deserving incredible people (who happen to be female) be celebrated for their brilliance. It also saddens me that we still need #HashTagDays to do so. How do I as a member of the male species participate in today’s social-media-celebrations? That’s an honest question. Would love anyone (especially women) to educate, direct and inspire me for future years.

For today, allow me to take a stab at answering my own question. I’d like to celebrate the many women in my professional life who have been my mentor. Yes, #WomenMentoringMen. It’s a thing. And I’ve been a huge benefactor of it. I think it’s one thing to celebrate individuals as peers and acquaintances. To me, today is a reminder that it’s thanks to many, many women in my professional life that I’ve achieved any small degree of success. Opening doors for me, giving me needed and timely advice, seeing my strengths when I didn’t see them, accepting my failures and coaching me up, and lending me a helping hand when I ask. This is mentoring. And I’m eternally grateful for it.