Messy Moment at Work

I spilled my lunch on my lap and all kinds of drama ensued. I couldn’t go through the rest of the day with sauce-crotch. What if I got called into a meeting? I peeked out of my office to make sure that no one was in the hallway and I scuttled to the individual bathroom. After checking the door three times to make sure it was locked, I took off my pants and rinsed them out in the sink. I was panicking. This made perfect sense…. until I put my pants back on and had a huge wet spot in my crotch (front to back). Now what?        20 paper towels later, I realized I had to make it back to my office without being seen. Leaving the bathroom with wet pants is never a good look. It’s a Friday, no one will see me…My office is right there…Empty hallway and I was relieved. My blazer was strategically positioned in front of my crotch. Just when I thought I was safe, my co-worker came around the corner behind me and I look back to see if she saw the wet spot on my bum. Face red. We don’t make eye contact. Once I hit my office, I closed my door and turn on my space heater. Risking burns and a potential pants fire, I dried my pants with the space heater while wearing them. I couldn’t leave work until my pants were dry. So much for skipping out early on a Friday.

 Moral of the Story: Keep extra clothes at the office.

Event Recap: Mentorships, Sponsorships, and Spaceships

 I had the pleasure of attending a professional event where the topic was mentorships and sponsorships. While I thought I had heard it all, I left the event excited, energized, and feeling more confident about making deliberate career choices, getting the right kind of guidance, and launching into a more successful career.

Here are a few takeaways from women who are older than me, richer than me, and more senior in their careers:

Mentors advise, but Sponsors act. A mentor is a person who can advise you on the gritty details of your profession, your office politics, and ways to improve your work. A sponsor acts to put you in the best position possible. A sponsor will give you opportunities and fight for you at the table when decisions are being made.