An award-winning researcher and educator shares how her colleague and mentor used specific behaviors to support the journey of her first book.

“‘You should write a book.’

I remember what Ron Sims, my esteemed colleague and fellow faculty said to me after calling me into his office one day. I had recently achieved tenure, a highly significant milestone and achievement in the world of academia.

My career up to that point had taken me to many places — including a great lecture and research post in Austria as a Fulbright scholar. Academic research was of the highest importance and yet, I now wanted to enhance my work with something more practical.
Having hit tenure, suddenly everything had become open in new ways — I had plenty of opportunities to decide where I wanted to my career to go next.

It was Ron who suggested — actually, he insisted — that I write a book.  Ron knew that I had been frustrated by the way networking is often perceived and taught, as a way to manipulate others into giving you something. The most successful networkers I knew approached networking as an opportunity to build real relationships. Even though I often spoke and lectured on networking, I wanted to reach more people.

Over the next weeks, Ron pushed me.  ‘What would a book like this look like?’ he would ask. ‘By next week, send me bullet points of an outline.’

I had always held Ron in extremely high regard… He’s not only a prolific author of articles in top academic journals, he has also published well over 20 books.  Ron was a mentor to many, and when it came to my book, he took focused time to help me as well.

Bit by bit, I worked until Ron one day said, ‘Great, you’re ready, now I’ll introduce you to my publisher.’

Once I met his publisher, the real work began… I had to write it!  And, Ron continued to coach me:  ‘Send me Chapter 2 by end of month.’ ‘Don’t get too into the weeds… remember your audience.’  ‘It’s OK even if it’s not perfect. Just write.’

Ron’s coaching pushed me in a way that I had a ton of fun with, though was admittedly hard for me. When I’d bump into him in the hall, he’d say things like, ‘So, I’m your cattle prod here… how’s it going?’

But Ron didn’t simply push; rather, he did it in a way that he knew would keep me moving, help me find structure and eventually reach my goal. And he opened doors for me with his publisher and others.  He continues to be a mentor and ally through his tireless support.

It took me a long time to find my voice, but I finally found it. My book is coming out this fall and it never would have happened without Ron’s encouragement. It probably won’t surprise you that I’ve already begun writing my next book: Networking Women!”

– Inga Carboni, Associate Professor at the College of William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA

Dr. Inga Carboni has been developing leaders for nearly 20 years through executive education, classroom and online graduate and undergraduate courses, and academic writings. Dr. Carboni’s scholarly work has appeared in numerous journals and books; grants from the National Institute for Health and the William T. Grant Foundation have supported her scholarship.

“Connect the Dots: How to Build, Nurture and Leverage Your Network to Achieve Your Personal and Professional Goals” comes out in the fall. It is a fast-paced, fact-based, practical guide with stories, self-assessments, and tips for working professionals seeking to take the next step in their careers.