Lessons from my Mentee

Lessons from my Mentee

In 2020, I was shortlisted by Shortlist Professionals as one of 29 experts to mentor 15 small businesses in Kenya. Out of the applicants, Angela W. , the founder of SisterSpeaks Global & Heels4Pads Foundation chose to work with me. We clicked right away. From the very beginning, we both knew what we wanted to get out of this experience which was  a comms strategy for her business but our partnership went way beyond that.

This experience got me thinking: what makes a mentor-mentee relationship truly successful? Shortlist Professionals laid a solid foundation with their selection process which really made my experience with Angela stand out. 

Here’s why: 

Open and Honest Communication: There have been incidents where we have had to have tough conversations - like this one time we had varying views on an online post she had published & I wasn't sure about the message. In another incident she called me out for downplaying my own achievements and even shared some self-affirmations to remind me of my worth.  

Angela and I are both big on honesty, sometimes brutally so and these incidents gave us an opportunity to have candid conversations about how to frame things better.

With mentor/mentee relationships, the conversations are not always one sided because they are rooted in bettering each other. That's what this is all about, right? Being open to feedback and learning from each other, no matter who's giving it.

Flexibility and Adaptability: The pandemic was a tough time that tested our partnership. Life threw some curveballs our way, but Angela and I just rolled with it. We adjusted our strategy as things changed, but never lost sight of our goals. We managed to remain flexible and adaptable, while still holding each other accountable.

Mutual Respect: Mentorship takes commitment—both of time and to each other. We consistently showed up for our meetings and followed through on our promises. By valuing each other's time and expertise, we created a safe space for open discussion and learning.

Beyond One-Way Learning: Angela absolutely became my teacher too. 

She showed me how she connects with her audience, especially during the pandemic and even provided me with fresh perspectives on hosting events during the lockdown. I was gently rebuked whenever I didn’t take advantage of opportunities that came my way or belittled my own achievements. 

In Luo there’s a proverb that says “fulu nyalo puonjo ngege” meaning the small tilapia can teach the big tilapia and Angela’s lessons still hold water till date. 

Chemistry and Connection: Sometimes, a successful match depends on a certain intangible chemistry or connection. In French they call it “ je ne sais quoi”.

We were both lucky that we connected from our first meeting and felt comfortable and motivated to engage with each other. This made it easier to accept each other's perspectives and even feedback.

Like a perfectly brewed masala cup of tea, a mentor/ mentee relationship can be a beautiful blend that delights both parties. Their fresh ideas and enthusiasm will challenge your assumptions and help you embrace fresh perspectives and most of all, teach you an invaluable lesson always. 

May you both grow and learn from each other – whether you’re a mentor or a mentee! I celebrate you both! Thank you Angela W. , who continues to teach me daily!

Grace Omwenga

Chief Marketing Officer, Demand Creation at Kenya Power

5mo

Insightful!

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The opportunity for our founder Angela W. has been beyond beneficial and as a result of you working with Angela, we were able to organise our first virtual event with amazing women speakers like Shomy Hasan Chowdhury ... We are grateful for the continuous support you provide us ❣️ Thank you Dorothy 🙏🏿 and always believing us 🙏🏿

Angela W.

Founder | Chairperson | Podcaster | Writer | MC & Moderator | Content Creator | Championing Women's Empowerment, SDGs & Tech | YALI RLC EA LEADER | #Top40Under40 Women in Kenya 2024

6mo

Can I like this more than once? This was a pleasant surprise and a lovely post. Everything you have outlined is the truth. I chose you because I wanted someone with whom my skill set matched theirs but the skills were also of a higher level than my own, because then my learning experience would be elevated and enhanced. I received about three CVs but yours stood out not only because you had the skills that were a perfect match but you came across so intentful because you really provided even more detail than the other potential candidates had to offer. You also came at a time because of Covid we needed to find a way to pivot and maintain relevance. You were highly recommended as an Ideal match for me and I remember telling Genevieve Goulding I totally see why you believed Dorothy was a good match for me. Leaving far away from my family you have become my adopted mum and my work mum for that matter. You are now as a result not only my mentor but my family member by default. I can't believe that December 2020 it started with a video meeting to eventually finally meeting in person and now even connecting beyond just work. I love that you create room for me when your life is so demanding (part 1)

It's fantastic that Shortlist Professionals facilitated such a successful connection. Strong mentor-mentee relationships can be truly transformative, and yours sounds like a perfect example. We understand the importance of good selection and matching in these arrangements. That's Bridgelab Career Mentoring is passionate about creating mentorship connections that go beyond just similar experience. Thank you Dorothy Ooko for sharing your experience and validating the importance of mentorship.

Paul Breloff

CEO & Co-Founder @ Shortlist | Connecting talent to opportunity across Africa, Asia and beyond (we're always hiring!)

6mo

Dorothy Ooko and Angela W. - so wonderful to read this! This is one of my all-time favorite Shortlist programs and I would love us to revive it. Let's chat about how we could make this kind of mentor-mentee relationship accessible and make it work for many more small business leaders :)

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