None of Us Can See Our Own Swing: Emily Haruko on Mentorship

"None of us can see our own swing so a mentor can help you see yours and help you refine by offering their wisdom, time, experience and support."

Emily Haruko is based on Vancouver Island in Western Canada. She's been coaching and doing leadership development since 2013. In 2023, she started Saroca, where she now serves as CEO, deploying custom leadership development programs and coaching to organizations in the tech industry at scale.

Her work centers on helping people grow as leaders. Through the Global Gaming Women mentorship program, she's extended that work in a more personal direction.

Never Having One

Emily's motivation to become a mentor comes from what she didn't have. "I never had a mentor coming up, not a female one anyway. I've had a relatively challenging career and am now building a successful business and thus a flourishing career."

Her experience shaped what she wants to provide. "If I can help just one woman feel empowered and support her to believe in herself and really go after what she wants, then the journey of mentorship is worth it."

Letting It Land

Emily and her mentee set specific, time-bound career goals around her role. During the mentorship, her mentee applied for a bespoke program within her employer, got selected for the training, and received a new role, essentially achieving what they had set out to achieve.

But something else stood out more. "I think a more emotional experience was my ability to reflect back to my mentee how truly remarkable, talented, skilled and brilliant she is - to which I feel she let land (and I hope she is still owning that to this day)."

Watching someone actually receive and believe feedback about their own capabilities mattered more to Emily than the role change.

Learning From Listening

Emily gained as much as she gave. "I believe there is always something to learn from anyone you're really willing to listen to. I got to learn about another woman's journey from homelife challenges to career aspirations, the authenticity inspires me."

She also watched her mentee climb Mount Everest via social media. "That in itself was incredibly inspiring to watch and read about."

Be Authentic, Not Performative

For someone considering becoming a mentor for the first time, Emily's advice cuts through the usual platitudes: "The most valuable thing you can do is be authentic, not performative. Connect from the heart, be vulnerable, say the hard thing and remember while you're in a mentor role, you're still equals. Give your time, be reliable and be present."

Seeing Your Own Swing

Emily's explanation for why mentorship matters uses a great analogy: "No one does anything incredible alone. Really. Thomas Edison gets credit for the lightbulb but he had like 30 people working for him. None of us can see our own swing so a mentor can help you see yours and help you refine by offering their wisdom, time, experience and support."

Resources That Empower

For women in gaming, Emily recommends several books. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg offers a perspective on women in business. For something more empowering and personal, she suggests Untamed by Glennon Doyle. And for those wanting to go deeper into their feminine, F*ck Like A Goddess by Alexandra Roxo ("don't let the title throw you, it's an empowering read for any woman").

From Challenge to Flourishing

Emily's career hasn't been easy. She had no female mentor coming up. But she's built Saroca and created a flourishing career. Now she's providing what she never had, helping other women believe in themselves and go after what they want.

Through mentorship, she works one-on-one, helping women see their own swing and reflect back their remarkable capabilities until those truths actually land.