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by Mary Elizabeth Cutrali and Danny Glunz
“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” - Steven Spielberg
In our world of never ending Stack Overflow answers and Github code reviews, there still remains some knowledge that can only be found through experience. Mentoring relationships are an indispensable part of any developer’s career and allow for experiential knowledge transfer. Programming, as a culture, has an underdeveloped network of mentors. As a community, we need to turn mentorship from a wishful yearly resolution into a cultural reality.
We’ll use research from scholars like Kathy Kram and historical examples of mentor-protege pairs (think: Larry Page/Marissa Mayer ), to get to the bottom of what makes a successful pair tick. Finally, we’ll share some of our experience in putting this research into action so that you may join us in discovering what it takes to cultivate a meaningful mentorship.

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The video titled "Meaningful Mentorship for Developers" features Mary Elizabeth Cutrali and Danny Glunz discussing the importance and structure of mentorship within the developer community. They argue that mentorship is critical for knowledge transfer in a field that often lacks an established mentoring culture. Drawing upon research and personal experiences, they aim to provide actionable insights on cultivating meaningful mentorship relationships.

**Key Points Discussed:**  
- **The Phases of Mentorship:**  
  - **Initiation Phase:** A period where mentors and mentees establish a connection, focusing on getting to know each other and discussing goals.  
  - **Cultivation Phase:** The most intensive phase lasting two to five months in boot camps, where practical work and skill development occur.  
  - **Separation Phase:** Marks the transition when mentees start job hunting, requiring support from mentors on interview preparation.  
  - **Redefinition Phase:** Post-mentorship, characterized by a more equal, peer-like relationship, where both can still offer support.

- **Habits to Foster Mentorship Relationships:**  
  - Schedule regular meetings to create accountability.  
  - Be flexible with time and encourage open communication.  
  - Utilize remote collaboration tools to facilitate learning, not just coding.  
  - Both parties should prepare for sessions, bringing specific topics or questions.  
  
- **Benefits of Mentorship:**  
  - For mentees, mentorship leads to knowledge acquisition and real-world problem-solving insights.  
  - For mentors, it reinforces a sense of purpose, boosts employee satisfaction, and maintains a connection to the learning journey.

- **Cultural Shift Needed:** They emphasize the importance of shifting mentorship from being a mere aspiration to a cultural reality within the tech community.

In conclusion, Cutrali and Glunz highlight that mentorship is a two-way street that can yield long-term benefits for both parties involved. They encourage developers to embrace mentorship as a pivotal element for personal and professional growth.

This talk was delivered at MountainWest RubyConf 2015, aiming to inspire deeper connections and knowledge sharing among software developers.

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