The MRC Team’s Personal Experiences with Mentorship
The importance of mentorship is often lost as people enter the workforce. The idea of finding an experienced industry professional to guide you may seem unnecessary if you are already working in the industry. However, mentorship goes far beyond graduation and your early years in your field. There is always more to learn, and there are always people willing to teach.
Mentorship has been a pillar for the MRC team since the company’s genesis. Internally and externally, mentorship has helped the team grow and innovate with the help and knowledge of those around them. Here are two MRC team members’ experiences that have greatly impacted their careers in project management. These stories illustrate the importance of mentorship no matter what stage you are in your career.
Brandi Gingery
Project controls consultant Brandi Gingery started at MRC as an intern with co-founder Manny Abela as her mentor. In the four months they worked together, Manny played a key role in helping her establish a strong foundation for her project management career. From advice and tips to tools and training, Manny provided Brandi with resources and guidance to help her fill any missing gaps and succeed.
“He drove home the necessity of a strong base to become efficient in what we do,” Brandi said. “He provided the resources and know-how so I could get up to speed and flourish.”
From there, Brandi began working with senior project controls consultant Sally Wine. Sally took the foundational skills Manny had established and continued to develop them while showing Brandi the “invisible” skills necessary to transform good work into exemplary work.
“Sally provided a secure teaching environment,” Brandi said. “There is no judgment from her for asking questions, and she takes the time to answer and make sure concepts are understood. Working with Sally has provided an ideal example on how to go from a proficient analyst to a requested analyst.”
Now Brandi has the pleasure of being a mentor for one of MRC’s newest employees, Kerry Minor. Whether Kerry faces a roadblock or just has general questions, Brandi now gets to help Kerry in the way that Sally and Manny did for her.
When Brandi reflects on mentorship in the project management space, she acknowledges the power of having a support system. She noted that knowing that they have professionals with extensive industry knowledge guiding them gives a trainee the confidence to take on new challenges and tasks.
“Having a strong mentor or support team allows for continued growth without judgment,” she said. “Questions can be answered, and self-improvement is continuous. It also gives a better sense of team and camaraderie.”
James Anderson
Project controls consultant James Anderson also started with MRC as an intern. With Manny's guidance, James was able to significantly grow his expertise in project controls and get acquainted with the world of project management as a whole.
“Manny taught me basics: how to get started, how to approach and resolve issues, and how to troubleshoot any kinks that show up in monthly processes,” James said. “Manny also introduced me to process automation, which is one of my strengths on the teams I work in now.”
When it comes to the project management field, no project is quite the same. Each project and team will have its own nuances, with a variety of ways to problem-solve. Having a mentor to consult with helps remove barriers while giving the novice space for trial and error.
“It is much better to learn things in a context where someone can explain to you what is unique about the project you are working on and why we are following the specific approach we are following in that project’s context,” James said.
Though the MRC team is all over the country, constant mentorship from one another keeps them close. Knowing they can call on a team member at any time for a brainstorm or a second opinion gives them the confidence to take new on challenges headfirst.
“Mentorship helps connect you to other MRC members of and really drills in that you are not alone,” James said. “There is always someone to ask if you are stuck.”