As some of you might have read, earlier this year I was honored with the Marianne Dekker Mattera Mentor Award, which is part of the 2023 Jesse H. Neal Awards. This acknowledgement is certainly prestigious, and receiving it is a highlight of my career, but I’ll let you in on a little secret — I feel like accepting this accolade might be a bit greedy on my part. The truth is, I have already received more personal rewards from my mentor-mentee relationships than I could have possibly bestowed onto others. Because of this, getting an award for something that has been so personally beneficial seems decadent.
The truth is, I have already received more personal rewards from my mentor-mentee relationships than I could have possibly bestowed onto others.
You might get an idea of what I’m talking about as you read our latest cover story. The travel advisors featured in the story — attendees of this year’s Future Leaders in Travel Retreat — are just a sample of the talented young people we host at the event. As a group, they are not just dedicated salespeople, they are innovative, creative and passionate about travel. They care about the future of their profession and the industry, and they want travel to be a positive force for the planet. Every year, I come away from the retreat with renewed optimism for the years ahead. Who wouldn’t want to be a mentor to such a great group of people?
Here at Northstar Travel Group, the parent company of TravelAge West, we initiated an official employee mentorship program, and being a part of it is also rewarding. If you don’t already have one, I encourage you to consider implementing such a program in your own organizations and networks. It’s a great way to nurture the next generation — those who may ultimately be a major influence on your business — as well as to collaborate on fresh new ideas.
And, if one day you happen to get acknowledged for being a great mentor, take it from me: A guilty pleasure is still a pleasure all the same.
