mentoring developers-php benelux-2014

Mentoring Developers

Take someone with raw potential…

And turn them into something useful

Your definition of useful may vary

What is Mentorship?

Formal or Informal

Professional or Personal

Long or Short Term

Group or Peer

Why Mentorship?

InformationTechnology moves FAST

Role ModelingWe all need a hero

AdviceNo man(or woman..or cat) is an island.

NetworkingTo get to where you need to go, find the folks

you need to know

InteractionHumans are social animals

Why Mentor Others?

Learning

Recognition

Networking

Reciprocation

Intangibles

Personal Tales

Anecdotes stick around

Beginning Developer

1. Try to find it on your own first2. Ask questions, lots of questions, but never the

SAME questions3. Don’t be afraid to question “why?” but also be

open to the answers – show respect4. You will be pushed outside your comfort zone

What is expected of a beginning apprentice?

Intermediate Developer

1. Branch out beyond what you think you need to know into new areas

2. Have faith that the support you need will be there when you ask for it

3. Continue to reach out in new directions to new people, but keep your older contacts close as well

4. Remember that failure breeds success

What is expected of an intermediate apprentice?

Advanced Developer

1.Your mentorship relationship is more peer to peer, more give and take

2.Have respect for those who mentor you, but realize they are just people too

3.Sometimes real life gets in the way4.Never stop learning and growing5.Give back (time to get your own

apprentice)

What is expected of an advanced apprentice?

Advanced Developer

1.Support and encouragement2.Feedback loops for coding improvements3.A shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, and

less help with fixing things4.Help with those steps out of the comfort

zone

What does an advanced dev need from a mentor?

• Some day that boy is gonna get me killed

Intermediate Developer

1.Stretching of their coding boundaries2.Networking connections and introductions

to others3.Encouragement to leave the comfort zone4.Positive role model for moving ahead

What does an Intermediate dev need from a mentor?

Beginning Developer

1. Best Practices2. Positive Feedback3. Resources for their own research4. NO SPOONFEEDING

What does a beginner need from a mentor?

Apprentice to Master

They grow up too soon…

Successful Mentoring

How to get in on the good stuff

1. Personality2. Skills3. Availability4. Drive

Find a partner

1. Ongoing2. Together3. Evolving4. Specific

Decide on goals

1. Talk2. Listen3. See4. Make Time

Communicate

1. Change the goals2. Change the relationship3. Say Goodbye4. Run away screaming

Exit Strategy

People Change, Relationships too

Remember: It takes two

1.Take responsibility for career goals2.Listen and share 3.Incorporate feedback given4.Make time for interaction5.Have realistic expectations and approach

the relationship with honesty

Rules of an Apprentice

1.Trust and Respect2.Listen3.Help apprentice define and achieve goals4.Offer advice, references, resources,

CONSTRUCTIVE feedback5.Give support when apprentice succeeds,

and when they fail

Rules of a Mentor

• Mismatch in expectations• Mismatch in personality• Breaches of trust• Lack of focus

When things go wrong…

Remember: Failure is good!

Mentoring (in) Organizations

Do the Mentor thing

Be the solution

List your strengths

List your weaknesses

Set personal goals

Meet new people

Speed Date

Learn, and teach

WIN!

The Challenge

About Me

http://emsmith.net

auroraeosrose@gmail.com

IRC – freenode – auroraeosrose

#php-gtk #coapp and others

Questions?

http://phpmentoring.orghttp://phpwomen.org More mentorship organizations?

Resources:http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_70.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentor http://www.iop.org/careers/mentoring/benefits/page_38864.html http://www.mentorscout.com/about/mentor-benefits.cfm http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15327809jls0603_2 http://www.mindflash.com/blog/2011/07/mentoring-2-0-why-gen-y-demands-a-new-approach/