Why should someone mentor? 6

[Ashereng]

It has been suggested in many posts that new and inexperienced people need to go find a mentor. That is true, and good advise. I agree with this whole heartily.

On the other foot, why should I take on a mentoring role? Especially if my company does not have a mentorship program, and my time and effort in mentoring will not be recognised?

Disclaimer: This is just a hypothetical question.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[TheTick]

Because you are a professional dedicated to preserving the future of your profession.

 

[ajack1]

Probably for the same reason as someone took the time and effort to mentor you.
The world would be a much sadder place if everything were only done for personal gain, you could equally ask.
Why should I give up my seat for an elderly person?
Why should I hold a door open for a stranger?
Why should I help someone who is struggling with a heavy bag or has fallen over in the street?
Why should I let someone out of a side street who is stuck in heavy traffic?

The list goes on.

 

[TDAA]

There is personal gain as well.
You could help someone improve to where they can help you more.
You may get recognition without a program in place.
You may get mentoring back from them on something you are not as good at.
Your company may get recognition for having quality people.

An again, the list goes on.

 

[sms]

I do it for the same reason that I participate here... there really is not that much difference...




"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" Oddball, "Kelly's Heros" 1970

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of the Eng-Tips Forums.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

One personal gain would be to keep things fresh in your own mind.

I liken it to being with my grandkids. I see and relearn everything afresh when seeing things through their eyes and from their perspective. It's enlightening, invigorating and humbling all at the same time.

 

[Ashereng]

How many of the above posters are currently mentoring someone or two?

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[UcfSE]

You should if you feel it is the right thing to do. You shouldn't if you feel it is wrong/waste or just don't care. There are arguments for either side of the fence. In the end it's up to you as a person and professional to decide what is best.

Another for the list:
Why should I give away that which I worked so hard to learn? Learning is not only the destination but also the journey. You don't get strong from a journey by riding.

Of course, there are different levels of mentoring that some may consider adequate. Are you a mentor if you are available for help or guidance but you don't hold hands?

What exactly is a mentor, and what separates a mentor from someone who can provide aid and is polite enough to do so?

 

[ivymike]

Mentoring someone might make you feel a bit better about yourself. One thing that engineers seem to dig is feeling that they're recognized for their years of experience or their significant accomplishments. Perhaps mentoring would be a way to receive such recognition (albeit from a small audience).

Why would one student tutor another in college? I know why I always organized small "study groups" before finals... Maybe you could exclusively mentor attractive singles of the opposite sex?

 

[Lion06]

ivymike raises a good point. I often helped fellow students in college. I did it because it was an ego boost, but I quickly found out that it helped me to understand the material more thoroughly and be able to articulate my thoughts and thought processes regarding the material much better.

 

[dvd]

Ivymike brings up another good point... it might be a good way to pick up chicks!

But seriously, if the original poster truly has the attitude that there must be immediate recognition in order for them to be involved, then there is no reason to be involved. This individual will only serve to show the younger engineer how to be selfish and self-absorbed. Do us all a favor and stay away from it.

 

[flamby]

Sometimes, it is simply not the choice. Either you mentor or load up yourself with 10 peoples' work for life. Teaching and sharing makes life easy and fun.

Ciao.

 

[ScottyUK]

Much as I like IvyMike's idea, I think Mrs ScottyUK might take a dim view of it. Particularly as they have all been male since I joined the company!

I've been in a technical mentoring position quite a lot over the past few years, although I've never officially been asked to do it. I have enjoyed it on the whole. We do have a mentoring scheme for the more experienced engineers too who usually have a senior manager as mentor. I have the station manager as my mentor: I see him in passing once or twice a week, occasionally in meetings, and have yet to have my first proper session. It is not through lack of interest but through lack of time and an ever-growing backlog of work in the department and in the company as a whole. This mentoring scheme is aimed far less at technical mentoring than at development beyond a technical role and is something I need to pursue harder. Maybe part of my problem is that I actually like my technical role!


----------------------------------

Sometimes I wake up Grumpy.
Other times I just let her sleep!

 

[SlideRuleEra]

A pleasant, long-term unexpected consequence has been an ongoing relationship with former mentees. As a retiree from the company, I can informally drop by to see these folks who are now in various positions of authority. Instead of being just tolerated as a "codger", treatment is more along the lines of and "elder statesman" whose input & opinions are valued. Rather flattering.

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

 

[sms]

Ashereng,

Mentoring is part of my job....So in answer to your question, I am.

"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" Oddball, "Kelly's Heros" 1970

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of the Eng-Tips Forums.

 

[kchayfie]

Last week I was chatting to a new graduate from a different department and he complained he had no work. Then I happened to be talking to other engineers from his department when their boss came along:
Boss: "Have any of you got some work you can give to (graduate)"
Engineers (both of them): "If I give him work, I'll have to check it thoroughly when its done so its quicker just to do it myself"

Later I heard of someone in my department who was swamped with too much to do and needing an extra pair of hands.

Result: my department has now successfully poached the new graduate because we'd rather take the time to teach him now and have less work to do ourselves in the future.

 

[PanelGuy]

My project engineer took the offer from Manufacturing to lead the ME group...a hole yet to be filled a year later.

He looked at me and apologized. I told him that you don't plant and apple tree and expect it not to grow and bear fruit, even if it falls in someone else's yard.

As an engineer, I bet you constantly explain things, this is called teaching. When you are also adding more to it by coaching...it is called mentoring. Formally or informally you will share your passion or you will change jobs for wont of interest.

On the flip side, the mentoring I gave allowed me to place a very talented and loyal person in to a key role in the company, fostering a very high level of cooperation between the Design and Manufacturing groups. Mentoring is long-term planning at it's best and can only push you up.

 

[HgTX]

kchayfie: classic bad management. I had a summer job once (non-engineering) where I pretty much sat and did nothing because the idiot supervising me refused to teach me anything if teaching it involved more time than doing it herself--even if I'd then be able to do it 100 more times without her. I entertained myself by getting assignments from other people, and then she complained that I was spending too much time away. (Till I traded with some other kid who *wanted* to sit around doing nothing.)

More recently, I was cross-training in an office (engineering) where my manager wouldn't give me anything to do because as a trainee I'd take too long and it was all time-sensitive, so I sat around taking care of my old job instead of what I was supposed to be training to do. I finally complained to the right person who offered me something to do, and when I took that offer back to my manager, he finally started asking around to find a project that they were willing to risk using me on.

Ridiculous. I can only assume that a new hire would be in the same boat I was, and if you won't train your new hires, what's the point of hiring them?

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[HgTX]

Advantages of mentoring are discussed in thread732-176850 as well.

Hg


Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[EddyC]

Here is a slogan from a steam trap manufacturer:

"Knowledge not shared is energy wasted."