| When I prepared for my Technical Proficiency Review Board, I
had a formal technical mentor to guide me through my studies
(and to evaluate my progress in the technical aspects of my
board.) Technical mentors are a requirement of the board
process itself, so it was a formal arrangement between the
two of us (and the TCD, Technical Career Development, program
had to be informed about it for me to qualify for both the
program AND the board.)
When I went to my board, I asked that my mentor be allowed to
witness it as a "guest" -- there are 5 guests allowed to witness
each Technical Proficiency Review Board (which made a total
of 13 people present at my particular board.) I had two
technical interviewers (one for Clusters and one for VAX 8800's,)
six board members, and five guests (three of which consisted
of my mentor, and my two manager co-sponsors.)
When the board was over, it turned out to be a great help to
both my mentor and I that he was able to watch it in person
(so that he could see how I handle myself in that situation
and how my presentation/oral_exams went.) He is currently
mentoring me for the Engineering Review Board (while he
studies for the ERB that I will be taking AFTER the one I
have coming up in the Spring.)
I have a total of two Engineering Review Boards coming, in other
words, while he only has one left. We're both majoring in
Clusters (but I'm also minoring in VAX 8800 hardware, which
he is not, so I have a number of 'side mentors' that are
helping me with that section of the board prep.) My 'side
mentors' have been through the ERB with VAX 8800's as their
majors.
MEANWHILE, I am currently 'side mentoring' a number of other
men in my district who are prepping for the board I took last
time. I won't be ready to be a full mentor until after my
ERB in the Spring, but I fill in some of the gaps as 'side
mentor' as practice. (*I* coined the term 'side mentor,' by
the way. I don't think that there is any formal term for
the people, other than one's formal mentor, who help board
candidates. They do a very real job in mentoring, though,
as I can attest to by the EXTREMELY helpful 'side mentors'
I have had over the past two years.)
Since the board process REQUIRES formal mentoring, it's fairly
easy to establish a mentoring relationship. Generally, the
one who needs mentoring goes in search of the mentor -- (at
least that's how I've seen it work around here.) Usually,
though, the 'side mentors' pop up on a more informal basis.
You start chatting with someone who has been through a board
you are prepping for, and before you know it, the person has
started helping you with a myriad of tips/information/material
(and gives you names of others who have MORE tips/information/
material.)
In my particular corner of DEC, there are so MANY people who
have been to various boards (and most of those people are so
enthusiastic about helping others who aspire to those boards)
that acquiring mentors and 'side mentors' are not a problem.
I'm not sure if this is the kind of 'mentoring' that was meant
in the basenote, but it's the kind that I've seen many times
(and have experienced) out here in Colorado Springs.
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| RE: .1
Thanks for the info about the mentoring you've received. Sounds like
its an indepth technical coaching role. And a very valuable one; one
that's working well for the individuals and the organization. Sounds
like you're in a field support area. Is this true?
The mentoring relationship I'm in now, does not have technical
coaching element. It is assumed that I know how to acquire the
technical skills I need for the next level (I'm a Principal Software
Engineer now).
What Nancy Collins says in her book is that most mentors are 10-15
years older than their mentoree and are typically not in the same
organization. This is a benefit from the experience standpoint. It
also provides the mentoree with another view of the corporation from
outside her/his own organization.
My mentor and I are working at preparing me for the things that cannot
be read in technical manuals. Some of these include: how to
develop/enhance my strategic thinking skills, how to better
consult/lead people towards technical solutions, how to recognize and
use power and collaborative work to positive ends, how to interpret
the corporate culture so I can work within it and improve it.
This is all new territory for me, so we'll see how it goes.
Definitely a challenge and I'm excited about the process.
What have other people experienced?
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| I've got a paper called "Executive Mentoring" from the University of Tennessee,
which is meant to be a guidebook on starting and structuring the mentor
relationship, from the _mentor's_ point of view. I read it in under 1.5 hours,
and got a fair amount out of it (I know hardly anything about mentoring). If
you'd like a copy, I'll get some made.
Mez
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