If you’re normal, the chances are good you’ve felt stuck at some point in your career. You may have been confused about a big decision at work or in life. You may have felt stuck at your current level without a clear path to move forward. You may have wanted insight into how to change concentrations, roles, or companies. Maybe all of this at once.
Talking with someone who’s been through these same situations is a great way to get through it faster than you might if you stumbled through life on your own. But maybe you aren’t sure where to start.
On the flip side, maybe you’ve gotten to a decent point and are looking to give back. Becoming a mentor is a rewarding way to give back, but it can also be enlightening and a learning experience for the mentor.
This week, Derek and Jeremy talk with Anand Safi, a software engineering leader, mentor, and coach about how to find a great mentor, some tips and tricks on how to be a great mentor, some pitfalls to avoid, and how to spot a bad mentor/mentee relationship early.
Topics:
• 03:58 – What is mentoring?
• 04:34 – what is coaching?
• 06:32 – Mentoring is beneficial for both mentors and mentees
• 07:17 – How does Pair Programming relate to mentoring?
• 09:58 – What’s the difference between mentoring and coaching?
• 14:07 – What to do when a mentor relationship isn’t working?
• 18:09 – What’s the ideal dynamic between a mentor and mentee
• 21:19 – Recurring vs on-off mentor sessions
• 25:03 – find a mentor and stick with them
• 26:26 – Sometimes we just need to talk through a problem
• 30:51 – Keep an eye out for your team and ask if they need help.
• 31:29 – What’s the culture in your office?
• 33:19 – How to tell when a mentor relationship is not working
• 36:43 – As a mentor, know when you’re not going to give the mentee what they want
How do we know if we’ve found the wrong mentor?
• 38:33 – 01 – Does your mentor genuinely care? Are they distracted or multi-tasking?
• 39:50 – 02 – Are they constantly canceling or rescheduling?
• 40:50 – 03 – Are they not giving you clear tasks or goals?
Tips for being a great m
• 42:41 – 01 – Practice to get internal clarity
• 43:14 – 02 – Understand what you need help with
• 43:41 – 03 – Have realistic outcome expectations
• 45:18 – 04 – Look at average career histories to set expectations
Helpful Links:
• Find Anand on LinkedIn
• linktr.ee/anandsafi
• Find Anand on ADP List
• Black Valley
About Anand
Anand is a Senior Engineering Leader for Mark43 – a public safety SaaS company. Over the past decade, Anand has progressed from starting as an aspiring engineer to becoming an engineering leader.
Anand is also a Startup Advisor, Volunteer Board Member, and an established mentor outside of his role. He loves reading about engineering culture, team dynamics, and new advancements in tech.
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Episode thumbnail by Adrià Crehuet Cano on Unsplash
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