Developmental Networks and the Impact on Women’s Careers

Vera Teller

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The change in the work environment due to globalization and information technology has forced a shift in viewing the traditional one-on-one mentor-protégé dyad as the optimum relationship credited for an individual’s career advancement and support. The “new” career context of mentoring states that individuals draw career opportunities and support from a myriad of relationships termed “developmental networks.” These developmental relationships could include mentors, peers, subordinates, friends, family and bosses. The purpose of the presentation is to discuss the many relationships women leaders in the Information Technology (IT) field have engaged throughout the stages of their career, how the relationships began and developed, to further their career and offer personal support. Data gathered by in-depth interviews of fifteen women IT leaders was obtained. The women were asked to discuss their own accounts of the various people that have provided either career advancement opportunities or psychosocial support throughout their career.

Vera Teller is a certfied PMP and the Director Systems and Programming at Trader Joe’s Companies.