Mentors and Proteges: A Question

[Rain Man]

In the NFL, we definitely see an Old Boy's Network in place. Coaches have "their guys", who they bring with them in any job. For every Herm Edwards, there's a Dick Curl on his coat tail. When Dick Vermeil arrived, he brought a legion of gray-haired old guys in minor roles. Every time a new coach comes in, he brings along guys that are "his team" and kicks out most or all of the existing staff who currently hold the jobs.

I think the same thing often happens in the real world, too, at least at the CEO level. You hear about the CEO coming in, and then pretty soon he's got a whole team of loyal assistants on board. Same with government, though that's a little more institutionalized in the party system.

So my question is, have you ever had a boss where you were one of "his guys" and followed him from position to position? Or as a boss, do you have people who are "your people" who you have pulled along with you as your career advanced? Just curious. I never had a boss who ran interference for me and pulled me upwards, and it seems like it would be a nice thing.

[HonestChieffan]

Sure it happens in business, it almost has to. New hires need a "sponsor" to move into higher levels. Those people have a certain tie to that sponsor as well as to others that guy has helped move up..they become the core of his or her support as he moves up. They are people who trust each other as well as those above who smooth the way up.

Those people starting out who understand this process and work with it are the ones who get promoted and have more and more resposibility given to them. Those who do not understand it are the ones who always wonder why the other guy or gal gets promoted, why they are always almost but not quite picked. If they try to overcome this with harder and harder work, they become great worker bees and play a role in the organization and will be thrown bits to keep them happy. Those who dont "get it" and get a bad attitude are allowed to walk or are shown the door.