Appreciating an Early Mentor; S&T Live at ICON
By John Elsasser
October 2023
In this issue, we delve into a perennially vital aspect of one’s career journey: mentoring.
Cherry Dumaual presents insights from Ken Jacobs, an executive coach and consultant and a regular contributor to Strategies & Tactics, and his mentee, Alem Tedeneke, a media manager at the World Economic Forum. Together, they unpack the gratifying aspects of mentoring and offer invaluable guidance on nurturing these professional bonds.
Elsewhere, Shanita Baraka Akintonde takes us on her lifelong mentoring journey, which began at age 16 when she started working as a sales associate at the now-defunct Montgomery Ward department store in Chicago. She recounts how a colleague from the fine jewelry department became her first mentor.
Her story prompted a reflection on my own mentorship experiences. While I had received guidance from various teachers and family friends, it was during my time at The Lantern, the daily newspaper at the Ohio State University, that I encountered a mentor who left an indelible mark.
In our newsroom, we had the guidance of several teaching assistants — real-world journalists on an educational sabbatical. They always struck me as your friend’s cool older brother or sister, though with a comprehensive knowledge of the Associated Press Stylebook.
One evening, with a looming deadline and a grammatical challenge at hand, several of us sought out Casey, one of the TAs, for input.
However, instead of addressing the contentious sentence in the piece, Casey read aloud the opening paragraph and asked about the author. His tone revealed his lack of enthusiasm for my lead, prompting me to timidly raise my hand. “I know you can do better,” he remarked, not unkindly, as he returned the pages and departed.
He was right. My initial sentence teetered on cliché, and to be frank, it made little sense. (I still remember the lead!) I rewrote the introduction and felt better about the final product.
From that moment on, I talked with Casey regularly in the newsroom. He spoke about his experiences on a metro paper on the East Coast and offered some wisdom as I pondered my post-graduation aspirations. He even lent a helping hand with crafting cover letters and introduced me to several valuable contacts.
At the time, I may not have fully comprehended the concept of mentoring, but in hindsight, Casey exemplified it perfectly.
Mentoring at ICON 2023
On this topic, mentoring sessions with members of the College of Fellows will be available at ICON 2023 on Oct. 15 and 16. While the registration deadline has passed, several walk-in appointments will be available on-site at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to PRSA’s program coordinator Susan Belanich: susan.belanich@prsa.org.
During ICON 2022 last Nov. 11-13 in Grapevine, Texas, dozens of PRSSA members and young and mid-career professionals took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy a one-on-one meeting with a College of Fellows volunteer.
PRSA remains committed to supporting professionals and students year-round by facilitating connections with communicators who can provide coaching, leadership, and guidance through Mentor Connect.
Broadcasting Live With S&T at ICON 2023
This month, we’re taking Strategies & Tactics Live on the road! Join us live on LinkedIn at ICON 2023 in Nashville, Tenn., for the following conversations:
• Oct. 16, 11 a.m. CT
Ray Day, APR, vice chair, Stagwell
• Oct. 17, 10 a.m. CT
Jen Hartmann, global director of strategic public relations and enterprise social media, John Deere
