Mentors and allies can make a lasting impact even from an early start — this male ally used his influence and knowledge to support a young woman’s career journey; starting at their company, into business school, and beyond.

“David Tobiczyk, Vice President of Marketing and Development, is my former supervisor and was a male ally from an early point in my career. David was quite intimidating when I met him during the interview process. For what was an entry-level position, David’s questions had felt very technical and compounding. Even after being offered the position by David, I remained intimidated as I started the role.

David didn’t let my trepidation last very long. The once stern and focused interviewer, as a supervisor was very approachable; he jumped into mentorship immediately. Early on, David took the time to lay out the ‘hierarchy of power’ within the organization, describing personalities and work styles along the way. He also scheduled me to meet with members of the leadership team to discuss how my role, a new position, would impact their departments.

Knowledge and Exposure

David’s early mentorship provided me strong knowledge sharing and exposure. He significantly decreased the learning curve associated with learning a new office culture, ultimately helping to shield my reputation at a vulnerable time and prevent bad first impressions. Additionally, by setting up meetings with members of the leadership team, he made sure that powerful people were looking at me and my work.

Once I’d settled into my role, David made sure I was included in all stakeholder meetings. I was given the opportunity to ideate new business strategies and challenged to develop those ideas for presentation to senior leadership. Meanwhile, he continued to offer one-on-one support, teaching me the fundamentals of marketing and providing budget funds for external professional development opportunities.

Instilling Confidence

David’s mentorship continued through educational opportunities, whether a formal professional development training, a meeting-turned-training session, or being assigned complex, challenging, highly visible projects; he continually pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to pursue growth, despite fear. These efforts built a confidence that continues to benefit me in my career. Additionally, the autonomy and leadership opportunities afforded to me, have significantly enhanced my resume and clearly communicate my potential.

After my first year with the organization, David acknowledged my contributions to the team by advocating my nomination for the organization’s “Rookie of the Year” award. The award is given to the employee who exceeded expectations and had a major impact on the organization within the first 12 months of employment.

Influence

As a person of power within the organization, having him publicly champion me and my work was invaluable to my reputation within the organization. His opinion carried much weight and his advocacy validated my position.

And when I was considering my next career move, David happily provided advice and assistance when asked. He encouraged me to consider getting a MBA, wrote a glowing recommendation, and offered to reach out to colleagues on my behalf. Even when it had nothing to do with him or his organization, David continued to support my professional development.

David’s mentorship has been critical to my success. To the men out there eager to ‘#MentorHer’ — and to those who are hesitant — I encourage you to take that step toward supporting and mentoring a female colleague; in turn you can be someone’s David Tobiczyk.”

– Danielle Hardy, Associate, MBA Leadership Development Program, Zappos.com
Las Vegas, Nevada

A recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business, Danielle balanced the roles of student, employee, mother, and wife in her 2-year pursuit of a graduate degree. Post-MBA, she’s committed to contributing to the advancement of women and people of color in corporate America.

Set to launch in August 2018, “The Dani Life” blog will serve as a platform to advance the conversation in regards to diversity in corporate leadership; featuring Danielle’s experiences as a professional, millennial mom, and woman of color exploring the impossible and achieving “unattainable” goals.