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Balancing the Future Ep. 11 - Sponsors, Mentors, and Coaches: Building a Supportive Team with James Crinklaw
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A successful career takes hard work, talent, education, and drive, but even with those factors in place, it’s nearly impossible to achieve your goals alone. James Crinklaw, Director of Operations at US Resources Client Group, joins Christopher Mitchell to talk about sponsors, mentors, and coaches—how those roles differ, how they support you, and why you need each one. They also discuss the three stages of a career trajectory: "Learning, earning, and returning" to sponsor, mentor, or coach a new generation.
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Transcript
Career Success & Mentorship
00:00:09
Speaker
Thank you for joining us. I'm just excited to be here today with James Crinklaw, Managing Director with the Center. And we are going to have a conversation about coaching and mentors and sponsors and just the success that you've had in your career and what it means to you when I say, you know, a coach and a mentor and a sponsor. But before we do that, please tell the audience just a ah few things about yourself so we can get to know you better.
00:00:36
Speaker
Well, thank you, Chris, for having me here. It's a pleasure. um james cranlasker said My second last name is Luna. So I was born and raised in Mexico City. My mother is Mexican. My father is American. Therefore, you know, I use James Greenclay here, but when you look at me and you look at my name, I may not look Hispanic. That's why I'm here in the Alpha Convention. Awesome. A little bit about my background.
Career Transitions & Risk-Taking
00:01:04
Speaker
As I said, I was born and raised in Mexico City when I was 17. I decided to go to Illinois and become a foreign exchange student.
00:01:15
Speaker
ah my last year of high school. And ah my plan was to go back to Mexico, which I did. and But that summer I got a notification that I had gotten a scholarship for one of the community colleges in Illinois. And that's how I started my journey from from my college education perspective. Eventually I transferred to a four-year college and my major was finance, minor accounting. ah And ah shortly thereafter,
00:01:47
Speaker
um After going to Japan for a semester through a study abroad program, I came back and got my first job, which was not with Accenture. You sure about that? Yes.
00:02:01
Speaker
but it was only a six-month stint. And Accenture, a head hunter, actually reached out to me, and the rest is history. i From the first interview, I knew I wanted to join the Accenture, and I've been with ex Accenture for 26 years now.
00:02:18
Speaker
Awesome. Awesome. You know, when I think about leaders that are in your position and the success that you've had along the way, and then you sit here, I'm like, how did you get here? What is that one thing? When you think about where you started and where you are today, what is that one thing that you believe is the reason why you're sitting here having the conversation? but Believing in yourself. I think, um, I always Thought that I could do whatever I wanted and. um I mean, I joined that at alex Accenture as a finance client finance. Manager um well analyst, but we call him client finance managers. ah Managing projects from a financial perspective and very shortly after that I.
00:03:11
Speaker
Notice that well, Accenture is much more than I didn't join a finance organization. I joined a services company where I happen to play finance role and the main um the the the trajectory that I'll often open my eyes eyes was getting into the consulting side, which you know is sort of the bread and butter. At the time when when I started with Anderson Consulting, at the time now Accenture, and I had i was very lucky
00:03:44
Speaker
that a partner at the time sponsored me to do that. That was unheard of almost for somebody to transition from a finance role to a consulting role. And ah getting that sponsorship was very meaningful. Obviously, you know, having done a good job in my previous role was fundamental in order for somebody to help me transition into that role. And I've had, and so believing that I could do it even though I didn't know what it would look like, but putting myself out there and taking the risk of um testing it. and i you know i'veve I've been a very fortunate person.
Roles of Sponsors, Mentors, and Coaches
00:04:29
Speaker
I've had a great creative exchange here where I've
00:04:31
Speaker
Held many, many roles and they all don't look the same. I've been in different parts of Accenture. So from consulting, eventually I went into operations, which is the outsourcing side of Accenture.
00:04:45
Speaker
um And then i was asked to participate in what we call strategic growth initiatives when you know cloud computing was just a concept and we' we're trying to figure out what we're gonna be doing in that space and you know mobility and.
00:05:02
Speaker
Sales and so i've had i've been it's sort of an unusual way of progressing your credit center but back to your question i think the the the one common denominator for me has been believing that i can do it and of course,
00:05:22
Speaker
there's always a learning process associated with it. There's always ah a scary part of it involved when you're learning something new that when someone puts that trust in you that you're able to figure it out, um it's also very helpful to me. So making sure that I'm also putting everything that I have towards the job that I'm doing so that when when and if the next opportunity comes around, right?
00:05:50
Speaker
my work speaks for itself so that I can move on to the next role. And so that's hope that answers the question. Yes, it does. yes Yes, it does. You know, when I think about and I want to touch on my career just a little bit and someone asked me the same question, OK, and for whatever the reason, when you're in you know these seats and you big you've had some success in your career, I think it just happens overnight.
00:06:17
Speaker
and they think that okay christie went to a really prestigious college and you've you know you're you're able to create all these opportunities and i'm like absolutely not i mean i started at a junior college several junior colleges and i kind of work my way up and through the ranks and. All of a sudden you realize how i got to this role and okay and.
00:06:37
Speaker
For me, I was just shocked. A shock because they might lot of similarities, I guess, starting with that community college. Exactly. But when I go back and I start thinking about my own career and I think about really what happened and I'd like to take all the credit and say, well, Chris, you were able to just pull yourself up and get to this other level. But there were folks along the way that helped me. So when I say to you, you had a coach or you had a sponsor, you had a mentor.
00:07:06
Speaker
Help us understand what that means because it means something different. I've got a coach, they help with certain things. My mentors helped in a certain way and my sponsor it helps in a certain way. What does that mean to you? Oh, that's a great question. I'm going to start from the sponsor, maybe a little bit awesome in a different order than how you asked it. But a sponsor is the person that's willing to put their name.
00:07:38
Speaker
out there to help you get to a place where without that name or
00:07:48
Speaker
sponsorship, you you might not get that role. So going back to my point around, um when I made the transition from finance into consulting, he was crucial in order for the consulting practice to say, okay, we're going to take a chance on this person.
00:08:09
Speaker
um So to me, that that's the definition of a sponsor, someone who's willing to put their name out there or their neck on the line, if you, for a lack of a better word, um on your behalf. Coaches are probably seasonal, a little bit more, so and and and sponsors tend to be permanent in in in my experience. So this same sponsor that enabled that change sponsored two other changes and actually my promotion to managing director. So it's super important that role in in and my experience. Coaches, you meet coaches along the way as well.
Personal Responsibility & Feedback
00:09:00
Speaker
especially as I was transitioning from one subject area to the other and asking for tactical, short-term advice on a topic that I may not be ah aware of. um so And you know points of view on career and whatnot, but more,
00:09:25
Speaker
I would say at the tactical level and depending on the topic and whatnot. Um, you had a third one and I forget the name, uh, so the mentor, um,
00:09:39
Speaker
that one is a little, you know, I would probably. Bundled mentors with sponsors. Um, in my experience, um,
00:09:54
Speaker
same person that was willing to sponsor me for these roles that I wouldn't have otherwise gotten, was also mentoring me throughout the process on what I needed to focus on in order to get there. um Some people may experience having, you know, and that person is already retired from ex Accenture, so as you're growing in your career,
00:10:23
Speaker
some of my peers were able to get to places that are higher level than mine. And they've by definition became my mentors as well. And so keeping um having multiple mentors and sponsors and coaches, there's nothing wrong with it because You never know which one is either going to leave the firm or retire. or And for me, it happened to be within my job. And of course, my wife has also played a tremendous role.
00:11:03
Speaker
ah and in her own way, right, um without being a part of the professional environment, but just discussing certain scenarios and whatnot, feel like her coaching and and and perspective from just a human being. and uh, who cares about me has also been super helpful. So I don't know if that answers the question. When I think about, and I'm happy to, and I like the way you put it with a coach. and Okay. And you said that that individual is seasonal given where I am at that phase of my career. And you have a mentor that comes along and they're always by your side, but they may not be in the position of influence like a sponsor.
00:11:51
Speaker
but they're telling you the good as well as the bad. In my opinion, it seems like the coach was like always there because of where I was in my career. And I think when you're thinking about a career, it's not that I started out as a CEO. I started out as a staff and I didn't know certain things. And then I graduated and became a senior. and Okay. And that coach was there to say, well, hey, Chris, your work papers don't make sense.
00:12:19
Speaker
you probably You may want to wear a sports coat to this event, and so forth and so on. Oh, we've got a client presentation, so this is the order. This is how it works. And they helped me understand that. And my mentor was there to say, well, you know how long are you going to be a staff? You know you know you have to work hard to become a senior. You need to get your certification, and so forth and so on. And then I get to the sponsor, and the sponsor's like, oh, yeah, Chris is doing a great job.
00:12:48
Speaker
We've got this manager role coming up, but we've got the senior manager role coming up. And I think he would be a good choice to step in and make us successful ah in that area. So that's the way I've always looked at it. And it's very similar to what you're sharing. um But you know one thing that comes to mind, James, as ah as we go through this process and we're having this conversation, and I think, what am I responsible for doing?
00:13:11
Speaker
because I looked at my one of my very first coaches so and I said, you know, I want to be the very best that I can be. Well, really, I told him, I want to get promoted to the next thing, just like everyone else, because I thought I was good enough to move ahead. And he looked at me and says, well, what do you want me to do? Because it is your responsibility, meaning you are responsible for your career. So when I say that, I mean, how does how does that resonate with you? What comes to mind when I say you're responsible for your career?
00:13:40
Speaker
I mean, help help the audience understand what that means. 100%. It's all on you. Period. Never become a victim of, I didn't get promoted because my manager didn't like me. I didn't get this job because I didn't know the right person.
00:14:03
Speaker
i Well, there's a reason why you didn't know the right person. You probably didn't put the time and the effort in developing those relationships. There's a reason why you probably didn't get the job. Maybe you but you know you have the right sponsor and the right skills. And I always told my kids this, whatever you do, don't be a victim of the process or the take
00:14:34
Speaker
initiative and figuring out what it is that you think it's going to take to go to where you want to go. Similar to you, one of my very good friends who's just retired from Accenture ah reminded me. um He always talked about my journey and and, you know, to people and and how he met me when I was a very young ah you know, finance leader and now to see where where I'm at and the role that I'm playing. And he was always ah a huge cheerleader of mine. And um and he reminded me that a very at a very young age ah in my career, I had shared with him that I wanted to become a partner someday. And I had forgotten that, honestly. So,
00:15:27
Speaker
I guess I knew where I wanted to go. I didn't know how I was going to go there, but every step of the way leads to something different. So besides not being a victim, take chances, even if you don't you If you're not sure what it looks like, getting too analytical about all the possibilities, all the permutations of what could go wrong with that choice will very likely prevent you from positioning you and in in a place that it might be temporary.
00:16:07
Speaker
maybe just a stepping stone to the next move. And I remember when I decided to move my family from Chicago to San Antonio. And there was a lot of uncertainty in that move in that role because it was an outsourcing role. I was moving out of, well, when I made the decision to make the move, I had already done transitional work as a consultant for this big engagement we had sold and um they asked me, well, can you please help deliver it? But you're going to have to transfer from consulting to operations. Oh, and by the way, there's only a three-year contract with the client. So after there three years, you may be out of a job. And so I'm like,
00:16:57
Speaker
Yeah, well, you know what? It feels right. i San Antonio is a great city. It fits my family's needs. You know, I was traveling a lot and our second child was on on the way and um it was turned out to be the best decision. Awesome. And I had people tell me at the time,
00:17:19
Speaker
really question why I would even consider it. And and it just just feels right. And so sometimes you also have to go with your instinct about things that you may not have all the answers for it and and go for it. And I think the way I interpret that is that you are responsible for your career. And When you think about how a career works and the success that you have, they think they night you and they're pointing you in the right direction and you just graduate up some some you know thought out scale. No, there's risk involved.
00:17:55
Speaker
And it's up to you to kind of navigate those waters and and become successful. um So that's a great, I'm i'm ah happy that you shared what you shared. and One thing that comes to mind and i and for you, and I don't believe I've ever asked this question when it comes to feedback.
00:18:12
Speaker
Because as we're going through that process and I'm graduating up, okay, and I'm making decisions and I'm taking risk, how important it ah is it for you to get that feedback? How important it is for you to react to that feedback the right way? Because we say we we're responsible, but there's folks along the way, those mentors, those coaches, those sponsors that are given that concept. How is it how important is it to react the right way when you get that feedback?
00:18:40
Speaker
ah I've never thought about it, but reactions. um I've had people, I'm gonna answer it a little bit differently than what how you asked it because I think when I'm am giving feedback to people and all of a sudden they get defensive and and you're doing it to help them because sometimes it's not always It's always constructive, but you need to hear the things that you could do better as well. Otherwise, I'm not helping you. okay And so the difference of somebody reacting in a defensive way versus embracing the feedback and seeking to understand, because it might be a blind side,
00:19:34
Speaker
to you.
Giving Back & Community Involvement
00:19:36
Speaker
And so some of the feedback that now that that that I've had a little bit more time to think about it, that I received at a very young, ah very young in my career around focusing in my communication skills and folks, because obviously I was not, you know, no not that I'm very polished now, but, you know,
00:19:57
Speaker
um um It's something that I had to work on and and I was, you know, and I took courses um to become more ah articulate and comfortable. um And so taking that feedback and acting on it, I think it's super important and being open um to that feedback because the minute you come across defensive as if I don't know what I'm talking about and I'm good the when the way I am, then you're going to stop people from giving you the feedback that you need to get and and and that could stall you. So that's kind of my thoughts on on that point.
00:20:43
Speaker
You know, when I think about, and we had mentioned Alpha, and I know that you're here and you're participating in a way, and it's a get back. It's stepping up, it's serving the community in a different way. Why are you here at Alpha? I mean, what what comes to mind when i when I say serving and the importance of, once you get to this level, being available, you know, to your peers, being available to folks that are coming into the profession, that they see you, that you participate in a certain way. Why is that so important?
00:21:16
Speaker
The first thing that comes to my mind, it's a bit of an analogy that um someone very important in my career share when I became a managing director. He put it in in very simple words. And he said, in your life, you're going to spend time in three buckets.
00:21:39
Speaker
learning, earning, and returning. And it doesn't mean that you ever stop learning. You're always gonna be learning. But early in your years, you're gonna spend the majority of your time learning, right? And then when you graduate from college, you're gonna spend the majority of your time focusing on earning. And yes, you may be involved in some community even. But then in the latter part of your career,
00:22:10
Speaker
Right? He decided that, you know, it was time to spend a lot more, maybe not the majority yet, depending on where you're at, in but returning. and and And that's where I think I am now. I'm very focused in returning ah some of the knowledge and the wisdom and the things that have worked for me.
00:22:37
Speaker
to the younger generation that i mean this this conference is full of young people trying to leave a mark, trying to find a job, trying to progress their careers. And if I'm able to help one or two ah in that sense, um that's the reason why why I'm here.
00:22:57
Speaker
You know, when I think about when I entered the profession many years ago, it was a little different. And I think about all of the programs that are in place you know for the first candidate entering into the business. I mean, how does that look? I mean, if you think back,
00:23:14
Speaker
onto where you started when you started, the programs that were available and what's available now. Because personally, when I see the way the system is set up, it's set up for you to be successful.
Evolution of Career Support & Diversity
00:23:25
Speaker
And I know Accenture has done a great job. I've seen ah the caliber of candidates you bring aboard and the success that you had. But compared to when you started and you went back to the Anderson days, how is it different now?
00:23:40
Speaker
Yeah. First of all, I've met people. who have been in the industry just as long as me. And they they talk about participating in the Alpha chapter of their college when they were going to school and how Alpha was fundamental for them to make the transition from college to their professional life, which I think it's fantastic.
00:24:11
Speaker
i mean um For me, it was a little bit different. i I did participate in some like organizations when I went to college. I was you know the treasurer of the International Student Association and ah the president of the Hispanic Association, but it was a local university. There were no chapters across the country. It was just unique to that particular college.
00:24:41
Speaker
Where I was, you know, it equipped me with um some leadership skills that I thought were important um to highlight even in my resume, even though I didn't have the transition of being able to connect the dots between that and going into our conference and meeting somebody who might be able to help me put in the resume.
00:25:03
Speaker
um But you know i I'd like to believe that some of that experience was also you know one more thing that could differentiate me from someone else as I was going through ah the process of finding a job.
00:25:20
Speaker
You know, when i when I reflect back on my own career and I think about those days where I started out in public accounting, well, I go back to when I was in college and I look at my accounting class and I'm the only one in there. And I graduate and I get to my first employer and I'm the only one that looks like me in that class or in that particular situation. And I think about,
00:25:43
Speaker
What did I leverage? And it was more of family. It was more of, you know, having a ah mentor come alongside and and nurture me along. But, you know, when I think about the way the systems are set up today, meaning at organizations and the various programs.
00:26:00
Speaker
um They make sure that you're aligned with a coach and a sponsor and and a mentor and all these folks that they're there from the very beginning. So, you know, i and I just had to figure a lot of stuff out and it was a lot of hard work. And that's why I had the the attitude and the energy that I am doing a lot on my own.
00:26:20
Speaker
um And for me to get to this position, I know one, and as I mentioned earlier, I didn't do it by myself, but it felt that way. But today, to the point that you're making, I think with all of the the various programs and just the understanding that we want you to be successful. And I think as we move forward in this profession, it's about human capital.
00:26:44
Speaker
And you probably heard of this, that there is a shortage of folks entering the profession in that human capital. So I think it's not just solving for folks that look like me, folks that look like you, but just fought solving for what is it going to take to find a right and or the right amount of folks to be a part of the organization. So let's go back, and I'm going to use a term.
00:27:07
Speaker
I just fast forward a little bit and seat at the table. Seat at the table has been used, meaning how do I make sure that there's room for others to be successful in the profession? So when I say seat at the table, what comes to mind to you right away when I when i bring that up?
00:27:26
Speaker
Being able to influence an outcome or being part of a process that could influence that outcome. Those are the things that come to mind of when you say,
00:27:44
Speaker
What do I think about when you see, see yeah you know, and, and I think when I look at, see that table, because we are here. Okay. We're at a table. Okay. We're having a conversation. We're talking about those pillars that come to mind and what it takes in order to be successful. And being like you mentioned earlier, being here at NASA and being a coach and taking responsibility for others along the way at alpha. Um,
00:28:12
Speaker
So when we think about seated table, we're thinking about how do I make it easier for those that are coming up and through the ranks ah to be successful within the profession. And a lot of things come to mind when I think about it's what are you doing? You're an influencer. You've been in this business a while. Are you?
00:28:33
Speaker
participating in podcasts? Are you showing up to the conferences? Are you sharing those nuggets with those that are coming up and and helping them be successful? Are you telling them, as I was told, believe it or not, it is your responsibility. Are you helping them understand that they're leveraging you know the risk along the way? And no one's really saying and mapping it out for you.
00:28:57
Speaker
you're taking those risks. um So that's what I think about when I think about CDA table. that's That's very fair. And and and um I do spend time and with my local chapter as well, um ah being able to influence how they approach um either the chapter itself or the next job that they want, or ah because that's that's where we have a little bit more of time and relationships to do that. And when I find myself here,
00:29:40
Speaker
um I do some of that, it's a little bit harder, but I do also when I see someone that I'm thinking, man, I wish I could just get that little extra push, right? Taking the time of, okay.
00:29:59
Speaker
Here's what we're going to do. I'm going to put you in touch with this person, which is going to help us with submitting your resume and like very tactical ah steps on on enabling, hopefully, you know, because I don't have control over the entire process, but um helping influence the the process, if you will. Awesome, awesome.
Mentorship & Career Advancement
00:30:23
Speaker
So as we get to this point in this phase in our career, and we can pass on those nuggets. And as I mentioned, it can be a lot of different things. So what are, what are three things that come to your mind that you would like to pass on to those coming up and through the profession? Those, those tidbits, you know, find a good and sponsor, find a good mentor, you know, figure out, you know, what you want to do with your career, take responsibility. What are some of those things that come to your mind?
00:30:53
Speaker
right off the bat that you mentioned. Yeah, I think we've talked about some of them. So be responsible for your own career. I think it's a very good way of, don't be a victim, take control of it and initiate, right? Don't wait for something to come to you. That would be probably, you know, the biggest one. Believe in yourself.
00:31:21
Speaker
Right? Even if you have doubts that you can do something, sometimes you gotta fake it till you make it. So believing in yourself that if you don't know what it looks like now, give yourself the chance to figure it out. um And the third one is, yes, figure out. So those two are 100% within your control.
00:31:51
Speaker
The third one, figure out. Who's going to help you? Because there is something to be said about developing the coaches and the mentors and and the sponsors. And and you you made a very good differentiation, which I couldn't do at the beginning, between a sponsor and a mentor. And a sponsor is someone who can actually make something happen versus a mentor guiding you in a way that you know can lead you to that. And I thought that was spot on.
00:32:21
Speaker
um But taking the time to figure out who those people are in your life and and and if you don't if you can't point them out, then spend time searching it and and and figuring it out because you never know when those people.
00:32:40
Speaker
when you may need to tap him on the shoulder and be like, hey, I need some help here. right So those would be the three things, I guess, that come to my mind. you know and Thank you for being just transparent about your ah the steps the the steps that you've taken to be successful. I think the more the audience can You know relate to that and understand it's not a a one-size-fits-all Equation it is something unique to you far as when you say, you know your wife came along and she's been a supporter of you in your career and that's helped you when you say, you know when I think about my family and and how vested I am in my family, that really helped. And when you say taking risk and then there's reward, but no one's telling you that it's guaranteed down the path. I think all of that kind of makes us who we are. So when I think about you now, when I see you and I understand all of the things that you've
00:33:43
Speaker
you know overcome and all of the success that you've had. I know it just wasn't given to you. I know it just didn't happen overnight. And i I know it's something that you graduated into. So I thank you for being here. I thank you for being a part of this conversation. So, you know, you absolutely, absolutely.
Career Ownership & Future Insights
00:34:00
Speaker
So I want to let the ah the audience know that having a mentor, having a coach, having a sponsor, this is not a simple equation and it's not designed to be.
00:34:11
Speaker
It's designed for you to step up and take the responsibility. It's designed for you to understand how you be want to be an influencer at some point in time in your career ah along the way. You don't have to be an executive level person to reach and go down and help someone be successful. You can do that as you're graduating up and through the process. So this is just another conversation that we've had. And i again, I think oh James for his support and I thank him for being here today. And I look forward to our next conversation because there's a lot more to share. Today we talked about having a mentor, having a coach, having a sponsor, but there are good things that are to come and it will be along the lines of, you know, who knows? It could be more along the lines of solutions and um things that are being delivered in the market. But today it's just about your career and your performance. So I thank you and look forward to the next conversation.