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As someone with a fairly confrontational style who has later grown older and more battle scared, I think you’re missing an important aspect of mentoring. Mento

by Swizec 5y ago

As someone with a fairly confrontational style who has later grown older and more battle scared, I think you’re missing an important aspect of mentoring. Mentoring isn’t about telling the person what to do, it’s about leading them to realize the thing you’re teaching on their own. Telling doesn’t work, they haven’t experienced the pain! Things you take for granted, they think are stupid. Because they don’t know! Incessant questioning is a fantastic way to learn. The only other way than painful experience. And remember, you are sure of your knowledge. To them it sounds like alien speak. They can’t relate.

munchbunny 5y ago
Mentoring isn’t about telling the person what to do, it’s about leading them to realize the thing you’re teaching on their own. I'd take this a step further. Depending on how similar the career tracks are for the mentor and mentee, mentors often won't or can't know the right answer for the specific situation the mentee is in. As a mentor, your role isn't necessarily to have the answer either, it's just to help them figure it out for themselves one way or another.
nomel 5y ago
> Incessant questioning is a fantastic way to learn. The only other way than painful experience. I am a questioner, but my group seems to be filled with people who aren't. How do you mentor those that seem to enjoy the pain route? I have trouble assuming that they'll ask questions when they need help. I think my group is unique where most are highly educated, but from a non-software field, now doing software probably 50% of their time. From what I've noticed, the higher the degree in this non-software field, the fewer questions they ask, and the more comfortable they are with their confusion, even making up strange illogical explanations rather than attempting any real understanding. This group has cemented the idea that knowledge and problem solving ability are completely orthogonal.
- Swizec 5y ago
  Two approaches that I’ve seen help with this. Should be done in parallel 1. You fix by making this a hiring signal. I like to dig into candidates until they say “I don’t know”. Great signal 2. If a task is in progress for more than 1 day, you get help from the team. No buts

by Swizec 5y ago

munchbunny 5y ago

Mentoring isn’t about telling the person what to do, it’s about leading them to realize the thing you’re teaching on their own. I'd take this a step further. Depending on how similar the career tracks are for the mentor and mentee, mentors often won't or can't know the right answer for the specific situation the mentee is in. As a mentor, your role isn't necessarily to have the answer either, it's just to help them figure it out for themselves one way or another.

nomel 5y ago

> Incessant questioning is a fantastic way to learn. The only other way than painful experience. I am a questioner, but my group seems to be filled with people who aren't. How do you mentor those that seem to enjoy the pain route? I have trouble assuming that they'll ask questions when they need help. I think my group is unique where most are highly educated, but from a non-software field, now doing software probably 50% of their time. From what I've noticed, the higher the degree in this non-software field, the fewer questions they ask, and the more comfortable they are with their confusion, even making up strange illogical explanations rather than attempting any real understanding. This group has cemented the idea that knowledge and problem solving ability are completely orthogonal.

Swizec 5y ago
Two approaches that I’ve seen help with this. Should be done in parallel 1. You fix by making this a hiring signal. I like to dig into candidates until they say “I don’t know”. Great signal 2. If a task is in progress for more than 1 day, you get help from the team. No buts