This month’s T-SQL Tuesday blog party is hosted by Deborah Melkin – Data Platform MVP, WIT co-lead and WITspiration founder.
Deb’s invitation is to blog about mentoring and sponsorship.
What does mentoring and sponsorship mean to you? What value do you see in mentoring and sponsoring?
I’ve had many mentors through my tech journey. To me, mentors are people who care about helping you get to where you want to be and offering constructive guidance in that regard. Some people have one person like that whom they look up to. I’ve usually had several at a time. Typically, I talk to someone for tech direction, someone for personal direction, and a woman I look up to for WIT-related matters. I’ve had mentors at work too – my boss is one, currently. He is someone whose thoughts and advice are of value to me and I seek that out as often as possible.
The value I see in being a mentor – is that learning from similar other experiences can be the same as learning from my own experiences, without the pain or hassle.
I did not know what sponsoring meant until a woman in tech I looked up to explained it to me. I have not had many sponsors. I have tried to be one where I can. It has been easier for me to be one in community – advocate for more women, or more minorities, for example. At jobs, it is a lot harder because it means being a person of influence yourself and that’s not an easy spot to get into.
I have been a mentor to many in community – mostly women, some men too. I like to work with what they want to do and can do. If they need specific coaching like on speaking skills and such, I refer them to more popular speakers but I do help with other aspects of their lives and careers.It has been a rewarding experience.
Thank you Deb, for hosting.
