We all have faced with this term. Some of us have experienced the process of mentorship by being either mentor or mentee. But how many good mentors can you say? Tough question, isn’t it?
I had a chance to be on both sides of the river. Recently I have changed my job, so I’m a mentee now. However, I’m still thinking about what it takes to be a good mentor/advisor/lead etc?
Let’s start from mentee point. Most of folks think that it’s only up to mentor when it comes to management and guidance. But that’s not true. As a mentee you should provide your tutor with granular feedback, show him/her clear vision, prepare for your 1–1 meetings. It’s important! Behave yourself in very polite and respectful fashion, listen carefully. Remember that your mentor can be considered as a volunteer (cause it’s actually unpaid duty). So don’t make him/her feel like wasting time. If you have questions, ask them as soon as possible. Be initiative and grateful. But don’t overwhelm. We’re all humans after all :)
And what about mentor’s responsibilities? Obviously there are a few.
Mentoring strategy really depends on seniority level of mentee. It’s clear that managing trainee is a lot simpler than a senior one. I believe that mentoring a skilled engineer requires you to plan his roadmap more properly filling it with engaging and interesting tasks. Though there are some common things to be mindful of. I’ll gonna arrange them in list:
-
Set clear goals
-
Tell your expectations
2 points above are going to be the most important for newcomers. Most companies create probationary period as a way to estimate whether person fits in team, culture, skills required. Your task as a mentor is to show the way how to successfully pass probation. This can be done via setting clear goals/tasks and defining what you/team are expecting from mentee.
-
Listen
-
Communicate
-
Respond
-
Stay professional but don’t forget to fun
New environment can be challenging for your mentee during first weeks. All those new connections, bunch of work, lack of trust etc. The best way you can accelerate his/her rump up is by taking with you (or even whole team — that’s better) to the party, booze, some informal event. Team building will make it easier for newbie to join.
- Iterate all the above
Organize frequent 1–1 meetings with your mentee. These private talks will make him/her more open and prone to sharing. Keep in mind next quote: “Praise in public and critisize in private”. Crucial to make immediate feedback: if mentee succeeds, write about it in group chat or even tell it in live; if fails, be sure to tell him asap, preferrably in private. It’s no point to critisize mentee in front of team. People do not love this.
Important to remember that mentoring is extra pile of work. You should expect to spend some part of your work time on mentoring while being involved on daily tasks little less. So think twice before accepting this role. It’s OK to say no to mentoring if you feel uncomfortable with it.
Hope you enjoy this story! If you like it, please give it a clap! And follow me on Medium. New stories are already in my to-do list :)