Managing your career in the shadow of a famous mentor

What is it about?

Working with a famous mentor can provide numerous career benefits, yet it can also cast a long shadow. How do employees move foward with the skills imprinted by their mentor while still crafting their own unique career? In this study, we explore this tension, which we call the paradox of promise, by examining career narratives from former employees of the Eames Office, a famous mid-century design firm run by the husband and wife team of Charles and Ray Eames.

Featured Image

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Our findings show three distinct paths which careers can follow based on how employees interpret early experiences with an eminent mentor. Each path can lead to a meaningful career but they vary in terms of precarity, success, and creativity.