# Technical Mentoring Walkthrough — Learn by Doing ## Step 1: Map Your Mentee's Stage **Task:** Think of someone you mentor (or would mentor). Using the Dreyfus model, place them at a stage. List 2–3 behaviors that support your assessment. Then write one change you'd make to your mentoring style based on that stage. **Question:** How might you be over- or under-supporting? What would "just right" look like? **Checkpoint:** You've identified a stage and one concrete style adjustment. --- ## Step 2: Turn One "Answer" Into Questions **Task:** Pick a common technical question you get (e.g., "How do I debug this?", "Which library should I use?"). Write the answer you'd usually give. Then rewrite it as 3–4 Socratic questions that lead the mentee to the same conclusion. **Question:** When would you use the questions vs when would you give the direct answer? **Checkpoint:** You have both the answer and the question sequence; you can articulate when to use each. --- ## Step 3: Design a Stretch Assignment **Task:** For a mentee you know (or a hypothetical junior engineer), design a stretch assignment. Include: what they'll do, why it's a stretch (what's new or harder), what support you'll provide, and how you'll know they succeeded. **Question:** How do you prevent it from being too easy or so hard they give up? **Checkpoint:** Assignment has clear scope, support, and success criteria. --- ## Step 4: Practice SBI Feedback **Task:** Recall a situation where you gave (or wished you'd given) technical feedback. Write it using SBI: Situation, Behavior, Impact. Then add one "What would you do differently?" or "What support do you need?" follow-up. **Question:** How does SBI change the tone compared to "You did X wrong"? **Checkpoint:** Feedback is specific, non-accusatory, and actionable. --- ## Step 5: Create a Mentoring Plan **Task:** Create a one-page mentoring plan for a mentee. Include: their Dreyfus stage, 2–3 learning goals for the next quarter, one stretch assignment, how you'll use questions vs answers, and how you'll track progress. **Question:** How will you revisit and adjust this plan? What signals would trigger a change? **Checkpoint:** Plan is concrete and covers stage, goals, assignments, and tracking. --- ## Step 6: Consider Your Senior Engineers **Task:** List 2–3 senior engineers on your team. For each, identify one way you could mentor or develop them (stretch project, sponsorship, teaching opportunity). Write a sentence on why it matters. **Question:** Why do we often neglect mentoring senior engineers? What's the cost? **Checkpoint:** Each senior has at least one development opportunity; you've articulated the value.