Interview With Invisible Mentor Dennie Theodore
November 10th, 2009 | 
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I met Dennie Theodore through the Canadian Women in Communications about seven years ago. Though she is somewhat of an introvert, Dennie is great at networking, and goes out of her way to make others feel welcome. Dennie is using the skills that make her a great artist to excel in her corporate role at TD Bank in Canada.
So that you can get the most out of the interview it is quite extensive. For this blog post, I will extract the career related and mentoring questions for you and I will post the other part of the interview tomorrow. Soon I will conduct the interviews using video and will have transcripts for people to download if that’s there preferred way to consume information.
In this interview, you’ll hear Dennie’s advice for people just starting out in the industry, the toughest decision she had to make, three events that shaped her life, advice from mentors, the books she’d love to have with her if stranded on a deserted island and so much more. A detailed biography is below and you can later visit her blog Similar Circles.
Avil Beckford: Tell me a little bit about yourself
Dennie Theodore: Professional strategic planner, facilitator, writer and business manager, contributing to business and artistic projects across Canada and internationally. A long and successful history in many communities and known as a caring mentor, negotiator, leader and unappreciated parent.
Avil Beckford: What’s a typical day like for you?
Dennie Theodore: Meetings; phone calls; copious amounts of tea; kind words and one good belly laugh.
Avil Beckford: Describe a major business (or other) challenge you had and how you resolved it
Dennie Theodore: I negotiate and facilitate all day. It’s not the tactic or individual challenge but the overall approach which evolves with the needs of those involved.
Avil Beckford: What lessons did you learn in the process?
Dennie Theodore: That everyone needs to feel like they were heard before a decision is made.
Avil Beckford: If you had to start over from scratch, knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?
Dennie Theodore: Pick my battles with more care. Everything isn’t important to solve or soothe.
Avil Beckford: What’s one of the biggest advances in your industry over the past five years?
Dennie Theodore: Women seen as necessary in leadership positions to move projects and business forward.
Avil Beckford: Describe one of your biggest failures. What lessons did you learn, and how did it contribute to a greater success?
Dennie Theodore: I was on a not-for-profit board and I couldn’t make the president or artistic director understand that my discomfort with a decision wasn’t personal, but that I felt it was going to lead them down a very difficult path. I learned that sometimes you have to let folks make mistakes and then welcome them back without saying “I told you so.” It has made me a better parent, a kind manager and left many bite marks in my tongue.
Avil Beckford: What’s one of the toughest decisions you’ve had to make and how did it impact your life?
Dennie Theodore: To change careers from my heart’s desire to something ‘practical’. I’ve spent the last 10 years learning how to reblend the two and help others do the same.
Avil Beckford: What are three events that helped to shape your life?
Dennie Theodore: I had a kid. I wrote a play. I learned to forgive myself my mistakes (although I still have angst over them).
Avil Beckford: How did mentors influence your life?
Dennie Theodore: By believing in me. That’s the thing you need most when the world is feeling dark.
Avil Beckford: What’s one core message you received from your mentors?
Dennie Theodore: To be yourself, ask questions and be an advocate for yourself and others.
Avil Beckford: As an Invisible Mentor, what is one piece of advice that you would give to readers?
Dennie Theodore: Know yourself. Spend some time understanding your style, your fears, your desires and your skills. We all undersell ourselves.
What are the steps you took to succeed in your field?
Dennie Theodore: Realized it wasn’t enough to dream but the practical bits needed planning. And that nothing succeeds if you don’t have passion – looked to put that back into my daily life.
Avil Beckford: What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?
Dennie Theodore: Have as many cups of coffee/tea as you have time for in a week with people who are willing to sit with you. Don’t make it transactional – simply meet them to enjoy them and see where it leads. By doing so you’re building a personal community that will care with you and for you as you start to put your plans in action or require support to see them through.
Avil Beckford: Which one book had a profound impact on your life? What was it about this book that impacted you so deeply? Did you have an emotional or intellectual attachment to this book? Why?
Dennie Theodore: Robert Holdstock – Mythago Wood Because our collective unconscious is our most wondrous way to connect.
Avil Beckford: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are five books that you would like to have with you and why? Summarize the book in two sentences.
Dennie Theodore:
- Artist’s Way
because then I’d have time to do the 7 days with no written word exercise.
- A thesaurus
- Andrew Lang’s Red Fairy Book – it will never become old
- Tolkien’s J.R.R. Tolkien Boxed Set (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings)
– do you really need the summary?
- Women Who Run with the Wolves
because I have yet to have a chance to finish it.
Avil Beckford: Have you read any books that inspired you to start a business, service or invent “something”? If yes, which book?
Dennie Theodore: Ray Bradbury’s short story “To the Chicago Abyss” where the power of story and community can save humanity. I wanted to make a difference after reading that.
Avil Beckford: What one music CD and movie would you like to have with you (on the deserted island) and why?
Dennie Theodore:
Ultra Lounge’s Ultra-Lounge Sampler
The Agents & Frank Pourcel – Get Smart / Casino Royale
If you cannot view the YouTube click here.
The Wizard of Oz (Two-Disc 70th Anniversary Edition)
Wizard of Oz
If you cannot view the YouTube video click here.
What can you learn from Dennie? How might your answers to the questions be different from Dennie’s? Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment.
About Dennie Theodore
a professional writer, facilitator, strategic planner and business manager, contributing to artistic and business projects across Canada and internationally. She has a long and successful history in many communities and is known as a caring mentor, negotiator and leader.
A business and artistic chameleon, Dennie offers a range of leadership, communication, strategic planning and change management skills. Dennie has brought her many skills to bear for such places as Atlantis Systems International, TD Bank, AT&T, Nortel, and The Citadel Theatre. She served on the boards of Cahoots Theatre Projects and Mixed Company, produced the Peer-to-Peer Conference with CWC and IBM, and currently runs the Similar Circles blog and events.
Recently named to the TIAW Making a Difference roster for 2009 , Dennie is a recognized leader and speaker in many industries.
Book links are affiliate links.
YouTube Credit: The Agents & Frank Pourcel – Get Smart / Casino Royale, Uploaded by LittleMissLounge on Apr 14, 2010; Wizard of Oz Uploaded by dreamformore on May 5, 2007
Book List
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
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