Make 2024 more meaningful with help from a mentor

A great business coach knows how to move colleagues through failure, helping the resulting opportunity outweigh the disappointment, Deborah Fulghum of The Center for Sales Strategy writes. Intentional phrasing and timing can help, Fulghum explains, adding that the best coaching should be "in the moment, specific, clear on next steps and encouraging."

Put it into practice: Fulghum suggests a conversation that might sound like this: "I really like that you ... And that you ... It may have gone better if you ... Knowing you are so good at XYZ, I wish I had seen ... What do you think would happen if you tried ...?"

Data and AI can help leaders understand and tackle problems, turning them into opportunities for improvement, says Lydia Wu, senior director of people strategy and operations at Panasonic Energy of North America. "You almost have to drill yourself into [the] discipline of looking for the problems to be able to propel the organization forward and do better for your workforce and the organization," Wu says.

An old Halifax, Nova Scotia, hotel -- built in 1826 -- has been saved from demolition and moved to a new location with the help of 700 bars of soap. Construction crews say the softness of the soap helped roll the 220-ton building across its frame, and it will be moved again soon when the foundation in its new location is complete.

I landed my first radio news reporter and anchor job in my early 20s. It was my second job in radio, my first being a part-time evening DJ at a small AM/FM combo in my Georgia hometown. The news director at a nearby station filled in for a vacationing DJ, and we got to be friends. He hired me when they had an opening.

To say I was green as a reporter is an understatement. Going into this job was like being thrown into the pool's deep end, but my new friend quickly turned into my mentor. He helped me hone the skills needed to interview newsmakers, write reports and put together newscasts. I would later be a reporter and anchor in the Atlanta radio market, eventually landing an editor and anchor job at CNNRadio (now defunct).

This mentor spotted something in me and was willing to take me under his wing and teach me the business. It's because of him that I was able to succeed.

If you want to improve your skills or learn something new in the coming year, take Denise Lee Yohn's advice and find a good mentor. Their generosity and guidance could be just what you need to succeed!

Have you had -- or do you currently have -- a mentor that has made a difference in your life and career? Tell me about them.

If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. Forward them this email, or send this link.

What topics do you see in your daily work that I should know about? Do you have praise? Criticism? Drop me a note. And don't forget to send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off.