Anant Shrivastava aka anantshri
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@anant,
🚨 Caution to All Mentors and Senior Professionals: Advice is a Double-Edged Sword! ⚔️
While mentoring the next wave of professionals can be rewarding, it's crucial to navigate some common pitfalls. Here's what NOT to do when offering guidance:
👚 Don't Assume One-Size-Fits-All:
What worked for you won’t necessarily work for your mentee. Your solutions are tailored from years of unique experiences; they might not be directly applicable.
🕰️ Times Have Changed:
Your path to success may be outdated. Even a gap of just five years can render some of your experiences irrelevant in today’s fast-paced world.
💡 Explain Your Rationale:
Don’t just tell them what to do; explain why it worked for you. The reasoning behind a choice is often more valuable than the choice itself.
🪞 Avoid Projecting Your Present onto Their Future:
The way you act today is a culmination of your life's journey. Don't expect your mentees to follow in your exact footsteps.
🛣️ Respect Their Path:
If you’ve transitioned from a tech role to a managerial role, remember that your mentee may not have the same ambitions. Don’t prematurely steer them away from their current focus.
📚 Don't Force Your New Interests:
You might be excited about the latest trends or tech, but remember, they may not need or appreciate them at this stage.
😔 Limit Sharing Skepticism and Regrets:
While it’s tempting to caution mentees against the “old ways,” sometimes it's best for them to learn from their own mistakes.
📝 Bottom Line:
Mentoring isn't just about giving advice—it's about really understanding where someone else is coming from. Remember, what's obvious to you might be brand new to them. So be careful, be kind, and try to really help them grow in their own unique way.