1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,000 2 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,490 Hi , my name is Colonel Candace pipes , 3 00:00:08,500 --> 00:00:10,444 currently serving as the Inspector 4 00:00:10,444 --> 00:00:12,667 General for the United States Air Force 5 00:00:12,667 --> 00:00:14,778 Academy and I'm excited to talk a bit 6 00:00:14,778 --> 00:00:17,750 about mentorship but it is what it is 7 00:00:17,750 --> 00:00:20,380 not and how mentorship has helped me 8 00:00:20,390 --> 00:00:23,100 achieve success in my career . First 9 00:00:23,110 --> 00:00:24,999 I'll talk a little bit about what 10 00:00:24,999 --> 00:00:28,120 mentorship is , mentorship is first and 11 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:30,780 foremost a relationship and just like 12 00:00:30,790 --> 00:00:33,380 any strong relationship , mentorship 13 00:00:33,380 --> 00:00:36,210 requires connection , investment and 14 00:00:36,210 --> 00:00:39,670 honesty , mentorship is one of many 15 00:00:39,670 --> 00:00:41,892 tools a person can use to achieve their 16 00:00:41,892 --> 00:00:44,720 goals , A good mentor will advise , 17 00:00:44,730 --> 00:00:47,450 help support and guide them in tea , 18 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,920 mentorship is active , this means that 19 00:00:50,930 --> 00:00:53,250 good mentorship doesn't just happen , 20 00:00:53,940 --> 00:00:55,940 good mentorship takes work from all 21 00:00:55,940 --> 00:00:58,130 parties involved , this work includes 22 00:00:58,140 --> 00:01:01,250 preparation , consistency and active 23 00:01:01,250 --> 00:01:04,790 participation and achieving goals . I 24 00:01:04,790 --> 00:01:07,280 think it's important to recognize what 25 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,410 mentorship is , not , mentorship is not 26 00:01:10,420 --> 00:01:13,040 a one way street , just like the rob 27 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,120 base song , it takes two to make 28 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,870 mentorship go right , both the mentor 29 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,430 and mentee must be invested to be in 30 00:01:21,430 --> 00:01:23,540 the mentorship relationship , 31 00:01:23,550 --> 00:01:25,710 mentorship is not always sunshine and 32 00:01:25,710 --> 00:01:28,840 rainbows , mentorship requires honesty 33 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,260 and sometimes tough love , a good 34 00:01:31,260 --> 00:01:33,910 mentor is willing to give pointed 35 00:01:33,910 --> 00:01:36,250 feedback and a good mentee should be 36 00:01:36,250 --> 00:01:38,660 willing to receive that feedback . 37 00:01:38,670 --> 00:01:42,170 Finally mentorship is not therapy , a 38 00:01:42,170 --> 00:01:45,650 mentor can and should advise a mentee 39 00:01:45,660 --> 00:01:48,380 on how to tackle tough situations , but 40 00:01:48,380 --> 00:01:50,850 the mentor should also not be seen as a 41 00:01:50,850 --> 00:01:53,183 counselor or mental health professional , 42 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:55,640 a mentorship relationship should be 43 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,040 focused on moving forward and it's hard 44 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:00,151 to do that if it's always bogged down 45 00:02:00,151 --> 00:02:02,650 with issues and problems , a good 46 00:02:02,650 --> 00:02:04,817 mentorship relationship can be hard to 47 00:02:04,817 --> 00:02:07,140 find and some mentorship relationships 48 00:02:07,150 --> 00:02:09,560 only last for a season and that's okay . 49 00:02:10,540 --> 00:02:13,530 As a mentee , I have benefited from all 50 00:02:13,530 --> 00:02:15,720 of my mentorship relationships . My 51 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:17,890 mentors have called out weaknesses and 52 00:02:17,890 --> 00:02:20,112 challenged me to be a better person and 53 00:02:20,112 --> 00:02:22,370 leader . They have worked to strengthen 54 00:02:22,380 --> 00:02:24,900 my resolve and they have helped provide 55 00:02:24,910 --> 00:02:28,420 guide pass for my career goals . I'll 56 00:02:28,420 --> 00:02:30,364 give you one example of tough love 57 00:02:30,370 --> 00:02:32,400 mentorship I received , I was in a 58 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:34,344 meeting where a junior officer was 59 00:02:34,344 --> 00:02:37,350 receiving extensive frustrated feedback 60 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,640 from a very senior officer was getting 61 00:02:39,650 --> 00:02:42,440 no backup . I spoke up with the intent 62 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,496 to deflect attention from the junior 63 00:02:44,496 --> 00:02:46,607 officer and cited a policy in support 64 00:02:46,607 --> 00:02:48,551 of that junior officers position . 65 00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:50,696 While I was successful in deflecting 66 00:02:50,696 --> 00:02:52,990 from the junior officer , it was clear 67 00:02:52,990 --> 00:02:55,101 to me that the interaction did not go 68 00:02:55,101 --> 00:02:58,060 well for me . I was approached by no 69 00:02:58,060 --> 00:03:00,282 less than six officers of higher rank , 70 00:03:00,282 --> 00:03:02,410 who all told me so , but it was only 71 00:03:02,410 --> 00:03:04,850 when I sat down with my mentor that I 72 00:03:04,850 --> 00:03:07,420 was given clarity and guidance , my 73 00:03:07,420 --> 00:03:09,531 mentor walked me through the exchange 74 00:03:09,531 --> 00:03:11,642 and not only pointed out where I went 75 00:03:11,642 --> 00:03:13,753 wrong , I caused the senior leader to 76 00:03:13,753 --> 00:03:15,976 lose face , but also gave me an example 77 00:03:15,976 --> 00:03:18,142 of how I could have better handled the 78 00:03:18,142 --> 00:03:20,253 situation by still speaking up on the 79 00:03:20,253 --> 00:03:22,309 young officer's behalf , but without 80 00:03:22,309 --> 00:03:24,087 compromising the senior leaders 81 00:03:24,087 --> 00:03:26,253 position . For example , restating the 82 00:03:26,253 --> 00:03:28,420 senior officers concerns and promising 83 00:03:28,420 --> 00:03:30,476 to follow up with answers addressing 84 00:03:30,476 --> 00:03:33,040 those concerns . This experience was 85 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,240 formative to me because I wasn't just 86 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:37,129 told that I did something wrong . 87 00:03:37,129 --> 00:03:39,310 Rather I was told how I could do it 88 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:41,600 better . Now , I'll give you one 89 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,489 example of how a mentor helped me 90 00:03:43,489 --> 00:03:46,000 create a guide path for success . When 91 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,111 I learned I was selected for squander 92 00:03:48,111 --> 00:03:49,889 command a mentor scheduled time 93 00:03:49,889 --> 00:03:52,111 specifically to talk about my change of 94 00:03:52,111 --> 00:03:54,111 command speech . Now I'm an english 95 00:03:54,111 --> 00:03:56,222 professor and taught speech so I felt 96 00:03:56,222 --> 00:03:58,320 pretty confident in in the change of 97 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:00,209 command speech but what my mentor 98 00:04:00,209 --> 00:04:03,000 helped me focus on was how to speak to 99 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,210 the different audiences in the crowd , 100 00:04:05,220 --> 00:04:07,109 what my objectives for the speech 101 00:04:07,109 --> 00:04:09,460 should be , how I should honor my 102 00:04:09,460 --> 00:04:11,460 predecessor and the successes of my 103 00:04:11,460 --> 00:04:13,627 squadron while gently starting to move 104 00:04:13,627 --> 00:04:16,220 my new team forward . My mentor helped 105 00:04:16,220 --> 00:04:18,220 me create a script that served as a 106 00:04:18,220 --> 00:04:20,530 solid foundation for me and my team for 107 00:04:20,530 --> 00:04:23,090 the next two years . I know without a 108 00:04:23,090 --> 00:04:25,201 doubt that that mentorship I received 109 00:04:25,201 --> 00:04:27,040 prior to taking squadron command 110 00:04:27,050 --> 00:04:29,380 provided me inside . I never would have 111 00:04:29,380 --> 00:04:31,436 attained on my own and set me up for 112 00:04:31,436 --> 00:04:34,720 success . On the other hand , I love 113 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,320 being a mentor as a mentor . I have 114 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,431 been fueled by the energy and passion 115 00:04:39,431 --> 00:04:42,100 of my mentees . I have been inspired by 116 00:04:42,100 --> 00:04:44,370 their amazing pursuits and have been 117 00:04:44,380 --> 00:04:46,580 honored to travel with them through 118 00:04:46,580 --> 00:04:48,670 their many successes . These 119 00:04:48,670 --> 00:04:50,890 relationships have been the most 120 00:04:50,890 --> 00:04:53,780 fulfilling in my career mm hmm , thank 121 00:04:53,780 --> 00:04:55,558 you for allowing me to share my 122 00:04:55,558 --> 00:04:57,730 thoughts . I wish you all the best on 123 00:04:57,730 --> 00:04:58,950 your mentorship journeys .