Everyone Needs a Mentor

By: Michael Greenberg, SWANA President and President of GT Environmental

The other day – well, they all seem like other days now, don’t they? – the other day, I was having a conversation with one of my colleagues in the public sector. They were telling me all the changes they were going through because of COVID-19. For example, they run a solid waste operation with well over 100 employees and several different facilities managing solid waste, recyclables, and special waste. They were lamenting that they were losing key managers through attrition and/or layoffs that they had worked with for more than a decade. So not only were they losing key talent, but they also were losing key advisors and, even more importantly, work friends. I asked if they were going to replace the managers, but the Board of Directors had decided to forgo those positions. 

Their story did not end there as they had to inform the employees that salaries were going to be adjusted and, although that impacted my colleague’s personal financial picture significantly, they were very concerned with the families to be impacted by these changes.

It Can Be Lonely at the Top

Your decisions impact not only your employees but also their families, who are depending on the employee for financial income and support. In these uncertain times, leadership is very layered, and includes considering how your employees’ health affects the financial viability of your business. Leaders must make decisions that bring employees back to the office or continue to work from home. What about those benefits that cost a fortune? Do we continue each employee’s benefits, or do we require the employee to contribute more?

Why a Mentor?

Everyone needs a sounding board, a good listener, a colleague who will tell you that your plan to zig should really be a zag. It is called a mentor. They will tell you the truth even when you really do not want to hear it. They can pump you up when you are down. Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night panicked about a decision to be made or the state of your business? A mentor can help you work through those issues to, hopefully, avoid many sleepless nights. 

I have mentored leaders in business and government, and the benefits can be enormous. Young professionals are so much fun to mentor as you get to help them lay out a career path, and the paths to success are so varied. For the lonely leaders at the top, you need a mentor, too. Everyone should have one. If you do not have one, get one. You will be glad in these uncertain times to have that listener, advisor, and someone that is not emotionally attached to your issues.

How do I find a Professional Mentor?

• Enroll in SWANA’s MentorMatch Program to set up a profile and search for a mentor.
• There are many private sector “business clubs” that provide advice to business leaders in a group setting.
• Start a group of mentors. GT is in the process of planning a group for solid waste transfer station operators. The goal will be to bring together transfer station professionals to talk about work, financial, equipment, and personnel issues.   
• Call or email me. We can work out a mentor plan to determine what makes the best sense for your business or government department.
  

Contact struxon@swana.org for assistance with SWANA’s MentorMatch Program.