The next Mentor Spotlight we are highlighting is from our Revenue Pillar! This Spotlight highlights, Senior Kronos & UKG Pro Sales Manager, Bri Maher and her mentee, Kronos Sales Manager, Alex Romano!
How has mentoring Alex helped you grow in your career?
I’ve been in several roles at ALKU before moving into management – Recruiting Intern, Recruiter, Account Manager, and Senior Account Manager. While in all those roles, I became good at my job and was able to be selfish with my time. Once I moved into a management role, I felt like I was more focused on making myself the best I could be for the people that reported to me. I’ve learned just as much from Alex as he has from me. We both seek feedback from one another, and I have learned more about the management basics. For example, not everyone likes to be managed the same way, and you must find different ways to motivate others. Working closely with Alex has pushed me further in my career because he isn’t afraid to give me honest feedback. He taught me that if you build a strong relationship with your employees, they will work 10X harder, and I think this is by far the #1 lesson Alex has taught me. I’ve always prioritized that and feel like it has propelled me forward as a leader and mentor. The other highlight of working with Alex has been that his goals became mine as his mentor. His wins are mine, which adds a new perspective and excitement to the job and my career.
How have you seen Alex grow under your mentorship since he started at ALKU as an Intern?
I’ve known Alex since 2018 when he started as an intern at ALKU. I was initially his intern mentor, we kept in touch, and when the opportunity arose for him to move into a role within Kronos, I was super excited! I want to take credit for Alex’s career at ALKU, but you can’t teach someone the work ethic or drive to succeed that Alex already came in with. The biggest thing I think that’s changed since mentoring Alex is his confidence in himself. He always had the motivation, but he needed someone else to believe he could be great as an individual contributor and a manager/mentor to other employees. I think I was one of those people for him that he could always turn to, rely on, and make sure he knew it too. And now, four years later, I’m seeing him be that person for others!
How did you feel as Alex’s mentor when he was recently promoted to Kronos Sales manager?
Seeing Alex become a Sales Manager was one of the highlights of my career to date. Watching someone else achieve the goals they’ve worked so hard for is a different type of success and accomplishment that surpasses any individual achievement.
How did your past mentoring relationships prepare you to be a mentor to Alex?
I’ve always really respected and appreciated the mentors I’ve had at ALKU and outside of it. I think that, more than anything, they were the ones who helped prepare me to be a mentor. All the tough love and lessons learned over the years allowed me to teach others the same.