Mastering Mentoring 15 Show Gratitude

October 16, 2021

I have written several times in this series that a good mentoring relationship benefits both parties, so it is logical that both parties should show gratitude for those benefits. Sometimes not enough conscious thanks is shared in either direction.  Try to get more creative with how you reflect the benefits you are receiving.

Gratitude usually expressed in one direction

 In reality, the gratitude is most often shown in one direction only.  The protégé is thankful for the wisdom and ideas that the mentor shares.  Typically the protégé will express thanks also for the time commitment made by the mentor.  It is like a gift given to the protégé by the mentor.

The gratitude is often verbalized as a simple “thank you,” but there may be some small gifts involved or perhaps the purchase of a lunch or other tangible reflection. 

Consider the reverse logic

If the mentor is truly gaining by the relationship, then gratitude should be expressed for that. The protégé is also giving of his or her precious time, so that should be acknowledged as well.

While the mentor is giving help in the form of knowledge of things, the protégé is giving valuable insight to the mentor about things that he or she cannot see personally.  The protégé exists in a sea of information about how people are reacting to their leaders.

If there are misinterpretations of intentions, the protégé can tip off the mentor that a gap in understanding is starting to develop. That allows the mentor to make corrective actions when problems are small and manageable. That action will prevent a significant trust withdrawal.

The protégé is often of a younger generation than the mentor, so some reverse coaching can take place when the mentor is coming across as “old school.”  This keeps the mentor from losing credibility with the younger generation of workers.

Both people should show gratitude

By expressing thanks for the benefits each person is receiving in the relationship, it tends to solidify the bond between the two individuals and further enhance the value gained by both people. 

If you are in a mentor relationship, regardless of which role you play, look for where you are benefitting and make your gratitude obvious to the other individual.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind, and Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations. 

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Mastering Mentoring 14 Leveraging Referrals

October 9, 2021

A key benefit of mentoring is the ability to generate referrals that can be leveraged in both directions.  While the primary benefit in mentoring is imparting new skills and knowledge from the mentor to the protégé, the ability to tap into the existing networks is extremely beneficial for each person.

Benefits to the Protégé 

Normally the protégé is younger and has established fewer contacts than the mentor.  The ability to have a solid introduction and endorsement from the mentor allows the protégé to expand his or her network exponentially.

When you consider that each new contact has the ability to introduce the protégé to his or her own network, you can appreciate the geometrical nature of this networking phenomenon.  It is incumbent on the protégé to follow up with each new contact and make a great impression, but the head start by having a solid endorsement from the mentor cannot be overstated.

The only caveat here is to not become so excited about the growing network that it crowds out some of the vital work that is going on at the same time. Just like any other good thing, too much of it can become a problem.

Benefits to the Mentor

The reverse phenomenon is just as valuable to the mentor. Assuming the protégé is younger, the referral gives the mentor a chance to network with a different generation. The blessing is that the mentor can test whether some of his or her ideas are getting stale in terms of how the next generation thinks and acts.

The ability to consider shaping one’s methods to remain more relevant as time goes on is very helpful.  The mentor should be aware of this source of information and be alert to capture the benefits. It is part of the learning process that has great value for the mentor.

Additionally, the protégé can suggest contacts that will give mentors a fresh look at how they are being perceived in their own organization that is pretty hard to get through other channels. If people are starting to bad-mouth the mentor for a decision or action taken, then there is an easy way to find out about it.

If trust has been compromised, the mentor now has a way to pinpoint the cause and take corrective action before more damage is done. That benefit can be truly golden in some situations; it can literally save a career from ruin.

Conclusion

The ability to make referrals benefits both parties in a mentoring relationship. Seek to use this advantage, but do apply it with some moderation and wisdom for the best impact. 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind, and Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations. 

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Mastering Mentoring 13 When to Take a Mentoring Break

October 3, 2021

Sometimes it is a helpful strategy to create a break in the action during a mentoring series. If the two people are meeting every week or two over an extended period of time, the process may start to become a chore for one or both of the participants. This can happen for a number of reasons.

Change in the Pattern of Work

There are natural cycles in any work setting. A relationship that called for one hour per week in March, when not much is going on, might be highly taxing during budget time in November. There can be a special project or other time-consuming issues that make the meetings difficult to conduct.

Be on the alert for these natural situations. One way to tell if it’s time for a break in the action is if one party has to cancel two or three meetings in a row. You can ask the question if the two of you should create a temporary hiatus until the peak period is over.

Another way to tell if you should take a break is the body language of the other person.  If you see signs of impatience or time anxiety, you can ask the question if you should schedule a break in the action.

Repetitive Discussions

If the material you cover in a mentoring meeting sounds similar to what you have covered in the past, it may be time to take a break.  Retracing steps that have been taken before gets old eventually.  Be alert for conversations that seem familiar.  For some topics, a reminder discussion is helpful to “set the hook deeper,” but if there are several of these, one of the participants needs to call the question.

Running Out of Fresh Material to Discuss

Sometimes you can reach a point where all the vital material has been shared and you are struggling to think of new topics to discuss.  That is a clear sign that you should create a break in the action for a while to let both parties rest up and come back later with fresh eyes.  

Chemistry Going Away

There is a kind of chemistry going on in any mentoring relationship. Each party needs to be gaining from the effort in order to be willing to continue.  Something may have happened that changed the relationship to be less friendly.  

For example, suppose the protégé has had a problem with an ethics violation.  The mentor could have a difficult time because he no longer has the highest respect for the protégé. Conversely, the mentor may have made a bad judgment call in a discipline situation and the protégé found out about it.

Any mentoring relationship is based on trust and respect. If these elements have been compromised in any way, it may be a good idea to discuss taking a break.

Conclusion

To be sustained, a mentor relationship must maintain its vitality. Be alert for some change in the situation so that you can suggest a different pattern of meeting to keep things fresh. 

 Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind, and Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations. 

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Mastering Mentoring 12 Keep It Fun

September 25, 2021

Even though mentoring is a serious process with important objectives, it should be fun rather than boring or painful.  Keep the discussions light and enjoyable by following the suggestions below.

I need to emphasize two important caveats before suggesting ways to make the relationship have variety. There are some topic areas where it is important to keep things confidential between the two people.  That precaution needs to be given priority over the other methods of enhancing the relationship. If a topic area is private, then the discussion should be as well.

Also, It is a good idea to check that both parties are totally comfortable with whatever techniques you use to liven up the relationship.  There could be cultural or gender issues that may make one party feel slightly uncomfortable with a particular method. If so, just avoid doing that.

Change the Venue

Many times a mentoring relationship will lead to a set schedule of meetings. These are often scheduled in the office of the mentor.  That can be a good thing, since there may be references or materials that are handy in the mentor’s office. On the flip side, if the pattern never varies, the relationship can get boring for either party.

Liven up the relationship by occasionally meeting in a different place.  You might want to go out for a coffee or lunch.  You might meet on the weekend at the home of one of the participants. You might even go shopping with the other person or play a round of golf together. 

Get creative and keep the atmosphere light while information is being shared between the two indviduals.  For example, if you are manufacturing managers, you might want to have a meeting while walking around the operation. In the Lean Six Sigma parlance, this is called “Going to Gemba.”

Invite Others to Participate

 There is no rule that all interfaces between a mentor and protégé must always be between those specific two people. If you are going to be discussing a supply chain issue and neither of you has that as a core strength, by all means, invite a supply chain expert to join that particular discussion.

Sometimes the mentor might invite the protégé into a staff meeting as an observer. This might be for the purpose of modeling efficient meeting techniques.

In some situations, it might be helpful to get the family members involved in the activities as long as confidential matters are not discussed.

Share Videos and Books

The libraries of each person should be fair game such that each person can tap into the collective knowledge that has influenced the other in the past.  This sharing of content really helps to extend the knowledge and does not require the pair to be face to face in order to learn.

Travel together

If the operation includes plants in different cities or countries, plan to travel together. The ability to discuss ideas during a plane flight really allows some deep thinking.

This practice encourages a stronger relationship while also demonstrating unity for the groups that are visited.

Sometimes the quirky things that come up when traveling allow a kind of bonding that is just not possible in the home office.

Summary

Try to vary your techniques and locations as you enjoy a good mentor relationship. By being creative, you can enhance the relationship while you are learning.   

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind, and Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations. 

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Mastering Mentoring 11 Mapping Progress

September 18, 2021

When working in a mentoring relationship it is a good idea to have a map of where you are going. As with any relationship that involves multiple exposures, it is important to start out with some kind of a plan. If there is no plan, you are both on a ship with no rudder.

Start with some casual conversation about what topics would be of most interest to the protégé. I use a master list of potential topics and test the energy for each one with a numerical scale.  There is time to add other topics that may not be on the master list as the relationship proceeds.

Doing this planning exercise gives some structure to the coaching, and since the protégé selected the topics of highest interest, you get a sense that the time is being used wisely.

Sometimes I will suggest certain topics as being very important as well.  For example, I usually suggest we delve into Emotional Intelligence because that topic is absolutely vital to cover for any professional.  The individual might not know enough about Emotional Intelligence to include it on the list of high-energy topics.

Emotional Intelligence

 An understanding of Emotional Intelligence is essential for any professional. The subject forms the basis for how you understand yourself and how you relate to others. There are four parts to emotional intelligence as follows:

  1. Self Awareness – the ability to understand your own emotions.
  2. Self Control – the ability to control your own emotions.
  3. Social Awareness (also called empathy) – the ability to understand the emotions of others.
  4. Social Skill – the ability to control situations so you get the kind of response you want to get.

Professionals who are well versed in the area of Emotional Intelligence have a much easier time performing well in most situations.  Those professionals who have only a vague concept of Emotional Intelligence frequently struggle.

Body Language

I also usually recommend some exposure to topics in body language. Not all professionals are aware of how much we communicate through body language.  It is a topic that is rarely addressed in schools and universities, yet it is vital to understand.

How we communicate with our body as opposed to words is essential because body language is far more complex and pervasive than verbal language. It takes conscious effort to understand and be able to use this skill.

Create a Map

In addition to the things I suggest we cover, the plan includes things the protégé finds helpful and would like to learn.  Developing a kind of map of how these topics fit together into a logical sequence gives us the starting point for building capability.

The plan does not need to be rigid.  There are opportunities to diverge into new topics or to sequence things differently than planned based on changing conditions or new interests.  The plan is a guide for mapping progress but not a jail to confine us.

If you start a mentoring effort with some kind of map, you will make much more progress and have a more fruitful relationship.

 Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind, and Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations. 

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Mastering Mentoring 10 How Many

September 11, 2021

The question of how many mentor relationships to have at any point in time will depend on a number of factors.  I will examine the question from the perspective of the protégé first, then I will discuss it from the point of view of the mentor. Finally, I will discuss the special case of mentoring leaders.

How Many Mentors Should a Protégé Have?

I recommend that every professional should have at least one mentor.  I have outlined the benefits of having a mentor in several articles in this series, and I will add more benefits in future articles. A professional mentor can guide you on your journey in your chosen career.

Naturally, having a mentor in your professional arena is of paramount importance, but there are other areas of your life where a mentor could be a significant advantage. 

Having a mentor for your volunteer and civic life really helps provide networking and skill-building advice. Seek out a respected community leader to help you. Your progress toward reaching your goals will be greatly enhanced. In fact, the act of identifying your goals can be significantly enriched by having a good mentor.

You may want to have a mentor who is like a life coach for your physical wellbeing. This person would have the requisite background to advise you on things like diet, exercise, disease prevention, recuperation, medications, sleep patterns, and other aspects of your health.

The only caveat here is to select a person who is reliable and not into things like fad diets or questionable medications or treatments.  Many people rely on their personal physician as this mentor, but you may want to have a personal coach in addition to your doctor.

A coach for your spiritual life can be a good idea in many cases. This would be a friend who can focus on how you are integrating the various influences on your soul and the future of it.

Keep in mind that your mentor in any of these areas does not need to be a physical presence. Your mentor might be an author that you respect. Many of my mentors have never met me, but they have had a significant influence on the quality of my life as a result of my study of their ideas.

You could have several mentors in one area that see the world from different perspectives. They do not always have to agree on everything. You have the opportunity to select which things you are going to espouse.

How Many Proteges should a Mentor Have? 

I advise that every professional should have at least one protégé. This is a way to give back and build up another person, so it is an act of kindness that pays big dividends. There is no reason to stop at only one protégé. You can have as many as you wish as long as you have the time and inclination.

I usually can count on more than 10 people at a time that I am mentoring. These relationships take on different levels of intervention and coaching. I might have an interface with a protégé on rare occasions. Others I might see weekly or sometimes even daily.

Keep close tabs on how much time you are spending with these people and scale things back if the situation gets out of balance. When you do not have enough time to service all of the people you are mentoring and they are getting frustrated, you have gone too far.

Likewise, if your professional or personal life is suffering due to the time you are putting in coaching others, you need to rebalance your own life.

Mentoring Leaders

I believe the highest calling for any leader is to grow other leaders. That is how you can leverage your leadership and get a multiplier effect.  I have seen many leaders who do not recognize this mandate and spend all of their energy maximizing their own performance while forgetting the responsibility of bringing along the next generation of leaders.

This selfish attitude is one of the reasons there is a shortage of great leaders in our time. If every leader would focus some energy on helping other leaders advance their skills, we would have fewer problems in this world. If you are a leader, consider if you are giving back enough to grow other leaders for the future. 

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind, and Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations. 

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Mastering Mentoring 9 Advocacy

September 4, 2021

Advocacy is one of the most valuable benefits of having a mentor.  The mentor usually travels in different circles than the protégé, so there is an opportunity for the mentor to advocate for the benefit of the protégé.

At Lunch

It is common for a mentor to sit with a different (usually higher) group in the lunchroom.  In large organizations, there may be management lunch facilities.  During the informal discussions that go on during lunch or breaks, there is plenty of opportunity for one manager to describe an opportunity for someone. The mentor can mention that she has a great candidate ready to move up. 

The only caveat here for the mentor is to not overplay the advocacy of the protégé. Mention the possibility of a good match only when there is an excellent fit, and refrain from making the same referral too often.

In Social Circles

The same dynamic can be effective in networking organizations or volunteer groups. The same precaution applies in these venues. If the mentor advocates for the protégé too often, then it does a major disservice to both people.

As a Reference

Sometimes the protégé may be in a career search mode. When this occurs, the mentor is in a perfect position to act as a formal reference. Usually, the reference is given in written form. When this happens, a follow-up phone conversation is often desirable because it allows both parties to explore topic areas that may not have been obvious in the initial request.

Be Totally Candid

In advocating for the protégé, it is important for the mentor to be honest if there are some potential trade-offs.  We all have strength areas, but nobody is perfect all the time.  If the mentor mentions an area of opportunity for growth, it will actually enhance the level of trust because it represents transparency and candor.  Of course, it does matter that the wart is minor in nature.  If there is a serious area of doubt, then revealing it will work to the disadvantage of the protégé.  In that case, there should be some coaching going on anyway. 

Conclusion

The mentor can help the protégé in a number of ways provided it is done in the right spirit and quantity. Be particularly alert to the body language reactions when discussing another person with someone else.  That is the easiest way to determine if you may be coming on too strong. 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind, and Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations. 

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Mastering Mentoring 8 Networking

August 28, 2021

Mentoring and networking are not the same concepts, but I think the two actions can be synergistic such that the power of each is enhanced. The purpose of this article is to share my thoughts on both mentoring and networking and solicit alternate views or enhancements to my points.

Directional

Most people believe that mentoring is directional in nature.  One person acts as the mentor and the other as the protégé. My own opinion is that in a good mentor relationship, both people are gaining in different ways. Both people have the advantage of seeing their points through the lens of another person, so there is an opportunity for growth for both people.

Frequently, the mentor has more years of experience than the protégé, so there is substantial content knowledge being passed along in one direction. The younger person has value to add as well because he or she is from a different generation and can help the mentor understand how actions are being interpreted by others.

Non-Directional

Networking is rarely directional in nature.  It is two people who have become interested in getting to know each other for purposes of expanding their network of acquaintances. The conversations take the form of “getting to know you,” where substantial background information is shared. Also, these meetings center on who the other person knows.

Good networking practices can expand the reach of both people exponentially.  It does take time to nurture a network of friends, but the reward is that both parties gain far more exposure.  One tip about effective networking is to grab onto a person who is highly into the technique.  That one person can open dozens of doors for you that would otherwise not be available.

Using the LinkedIn system is an excellent way to increase your network, especially if you use the “Groups” function to reach people who share your views and interests.  

Using Both Simultaneously

I have been lucky to have several people in my life who look to me as a mentor but who also bolster my network by introducing me to their friends. Likewise, I introduce these people to folks in my network who I believe can benefit from knowing them. This ever-expanding circle of acquaintances and knowledge sharing is a most rewarding combination.

Several of the people who have been introduced through networking have become close enough to consider me a mentor.  That is why I believe the two practices are synergistic.

Conclusion

Both mentoring and networking can be significant enhancements to the life and career of any professional.  While these two techniques have different purposes, using them in tandem leads to the most rapid progress. 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind, and Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations. 

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Mastering Mentoring 7 How Are We Doing

August 21, 2021

A Mentoring relationship is intended to be satisfying and mutually advantageous to both parties, so both people feel they are doing something highly useful. 

I think it is a good idea to check in on how things are going occasionally, but not so often it becomes a burden.

How Are We Doing

Plan to initiate a discussion of how the relationship is progressing. Have both parties describe what is going well and also any things that are getting in the way.  Be as candid as possible in these discussions, because this is how you can manage the relationship for optimal benefit in both directions.

Don’t settle for someone saying “things are going fine,” and leave it at that.  Ask more probing questions like:

  • What do you want to work on?
  • Where do you need support?
  • Do you have the resources you need?

Feel free to make up your own questions based on the unique relationship you have with the other person. Just come to an agreement that this is an informal process you can use to maximize the benefit.

Working this reflection into your routine will help keep the relationship fresh and growing for both people, but there is a precaution to address.

Caveat 

The key point to remember is to not let the process itself become a burden or a barrier to trust.  When the discussions of how we are doing become the main event, then you have gone too far.  I suggest if you are meeting in person or remotely, on a weekly basis, the frequency for this self-evaluation should be about every 2-3 months, but you get to choose the right frequency for you.

These relationships are multi-leveled. They involve specific skills, styles, insights, emotional intelligence, leadership, team building, personal development, and a host of specific topics depending on the people involved.

Each person should understand that it is safe to speak up if something isn’t working.

Keeping any mentor relationship fresh and useful for both parties requires some introspection. The trick is to find the right pattern and timing for these evaluations. It is a matter of personal preference and style. 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind, and Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations. 

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Mastering Mentoring 6 Surviving Let Downs

August 14, 2021

In any kind of relationship, there are going to be times when one party is disappointed with the other. That is just human nature. Even in the most supportive mentor relationship not everything is going to be positive and happy all the time. You need to anticipate that there will be times of angst and have a recovery plan in mind.

The recovery action will depend on which party let the other down and the genesis of the fault. Here are some common problems that come up in mentor relationships.

One party has to cancel a discussion at the last minute 

In the hub-bub of everyday organizational life, unexpected things are going to come up. The protégé may have an emergency at home and be unable to attend a scheduled meeting. The Mentor may have a crisis at the office and need to cancel a discussion at the last minute.

This kind of thing is inevitable, and the repair is to forgive and forget. If the last minute cancellations become a pattern or habit, then it is necessary to adjust the relationship accordingly. Have a chat with the other person and see if there is a way to make scheduled interfaces more robust.

One party fails to do preparatory work that was promised

If there was a promise that one person would get some material ready prior to the next interface and it does not happen, then there is an obvious let down. It could be caused by a temporary lapse, but you should look into what happened because it might be that the errant person is losing interest in the relationship.

It could also could be a pattern (having nothing to do with the mentor) that could impact the person’s career. The mentor should have a conversation about the root cause and stress that part of developing trust with other people is being prepared.

Have a discussion on the issue before it repeats. Ask if there is still high value in the mentor relationship, or if perhaps it is time for a hiatus.

One party is being duplicitous

One party may be all smiles and positive with comments when the other person is around, but is somehow undermining that person when in discussions with other people.  This is a trust violation that must be confronted immediately upon detection. Do not procrastinate; this problem needs to be addressed immediately.

If the other party is having a problem in this area, you may not be aware of it for a while, but eventually some information will leak back to you.  Keep in mind that the violation may simply be in the body language of the other person. If he or she simply gives a smirk or shrug when your name comes up, that is a major problem that needs to be addressed.

The relationship has become a burden

This can happen in small steps over time. Any one step is insignificant, but put together in a pattern, and it is time to refresh the underlying basis for the relationship. Have a frank discussion with the other person about what is happening. Body language is particularly useful when trying to pick up on a lowering of the tolerance for investing time with the other person.

You might say something like, “You don’t seem as energized with our weekly discussions as you were a few months ago. Am I becoming a burden to you?” Investigate the source of lower dedication and see if a change in pattern or something will help bring back the good feelings.

The problem could also be a temporary high stress situation caused by work or non-work demands.

One thing that really helps 

In any mentoring relationship, if both parties frequently express their pleasure and gratitude for what is happening, it will help to sustain the good will. Be careful not to overdo the feedback with too much drippy praise, but do express your thankfulness to the other person. Remember, that in a good mentor relationship both parties are gaining by the activities.

It is good to verbalize how you are benefiting by the relationship from time to time. Just don’t go overboard with the praise. 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind, and Trust in Transition:

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