On Mentorship (#7 - 3/16/23)
Mentors should be spending 80% of their time listening, 10% asking questions to probe deeper, and 10% of their time offering advice.
Mentorship is a topic that's brought up frequently in the workplace, but how often is it done well? It's an admirable goal to want to mentor someone as well as wanting to be mentored to improve your current skillset.
As an individual, think about the goals you have for what you want to get out of mentorship. What information is not readily available to you, or what insights do you not have into your current industry? When I mentor on Plato, some of the best conversations with my mentees are around problems they're encountering that week and then talking through how I've handled similar situations in the past (both the good and bad).
As a mentor, think about how you would have handled situations differently in the past. Is there anything to be learned there? Wisdom you can impart to your mentees? Remember to hear the full problem before jumping into the solution, and focus more on teaching broader solutions so they have a solid base the next time around.
As an organization, create space and opportunities for folks to mentor and get mentorship. There are likely many individuals looking for reps in either position, but within the appropriate time and space, they'll miss out on that opportunity.
Below is a solid overview of how to improve your mentorship relationships (h/t Michael Yotive). Quick takeaway: Mentors should be spending 80% of their time listening, 10% asking questions to probe deeper, and 10% of their time offering advice. Where do you and your mentors sit on those percentages?
Other Reading on Mentorship:
What Great Mentorship Looks Like in a Hybrid Workplace - Marianna Tu and Michael Li
The Importance Of Finding A Mentor - Jason Richmond
Juniors leaving for want of mentorship. How do we course correct? - Reddit r/ExperiencedDevs
6 Things Every Mentor Should Do - Vineet Chopra and Sanjay Saint
What I'm Watching this week: Ted Lasso
It's back! Ted Lasso is back for its final season and has been a great source for analysis of management styles. I've written on it a few times:
The dynamics between coach, players, and other members of the team always gives me something to think about in terms of my own leadership style. Definitely worth a watch if you've never seen it!
Have an engineering leadership question? Let me know! I would love to find an answer together with you.
Similarly, what is helpful to you in these newsletters? More links? More ideas? Meatier topics?