Why did you decide to become a mentor?
The Lean Agile philosophy is based on two pillars: Continuous Improvement and Respect for People. By becoming a mentor I am able to share my experiences and gave back to individuals who typically don't have the opportunity or resources to work with senior consultants. Mentoring also allows me to go beyond just Lean and Agile and help clients with every aspect of their business lives - finding a job, managing their career, giving (and receiving) constructive feedback, leading a company-wide transformation, and similar challenges. As a mentor, working with clients on MentorCruise also allows me to see in real-time the challenges and opportunities that individuals are facing during this time of economic and technological uncertainty. Coaching others also allows me to "sharpen my own saw" by co-creating solutions with my clients based on their needs and my own experiences - a win-win!
How did you get your career start?
I started my career as a Nuclear Engineer (BS/MS) building submarines for the United States Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. After my military career, I joined General Electric Company as a Six Sigma Black Belt. I received my Master Black Belt certification in 2005, and led the deployment of Lean and Six Sigma at two medical device manufacturers - Medtronic Spine & Biologics and Abbott Cardiovascular. Along the way, I picked up expertise in Project Management (PMP, PMI-ACP) and product development. In 2012, I joined a small boutique consultancy which was later acquired by IBM. I'm still working as an IBM consultant, typically on large-scale enterprise transformations involving thousands of technical personnel.
What do mentees usually come to you for?
It varies! Some clients have very specific technical asks around a challenging project; others are looking for the "voice of experience" when it comes to managing their career, project, or staff. I've helped my clients find new roles, develop comprehensive project plans, make critical staffing decisions, manage supplier relationships, make technical trade-off decisions, prepare for C-suite level workshops, and many more!
What's been your favourite mentorship success story so far?
I'm currently working with an experienced CFO who is being asked to take on additional responsibility outside of her experience base. Sharing my insights and techniques from 25 years of consulting with someone who has a very different background is fun and enlightening for both of us. Together, we've navigated through several high-stakes business situations where the easy answers were already gone, but by combining our experiences have managed to craft several win-win outcomes for both her and the organization.
What are you getting out of being a mentor?
Coaching clients through MentorCruise allows me to stay connected to individuals and industries that I might not have the chance to work with in my normal role. The experience of working with others and seeing the "light bulb" of understanding come on as we co-create solutions to challenging problems together is personally very rewarding, as is knowing that I'm making a difference in the lives of not just companies but the individuals that make up those companies.