This Cybersecurity Awareness Month we are looking at three sides of mentorship from the mentor’s perspective, the mentee’s insights and reverse mentorship. Follow along with us though this three-part interview series highlighting member perspectives from varying industries.
In this first blog, we will hear from three experienced mentors sharing their insights and takeaways from years of experience helping to guide the next generation.
Chaddrick “Chad” Nevills, CISSP, Service Engineer at Microsoft
What motivates you to succeed as a mentor?
Seeing someone else succeed using the knowledge from my experiences to their advantage. It is fruitful to see someone from my very own minority community contribute to the cybersecurity community. We make up a very small portion of the workforce and it's always a pleasure to see one of us break in.
How do you keep up with the latest developments in training practices?
I like to pick the brains of leaders in cybersecurity. I'm also friends with leaders of security teams that I'll question on their latest methods of developing and training. Additionally, the (ISC)² white papers typically have good info on trainings that are worthy of following.
Describe the greatest training challenge you've faced:
The greatest challenge in training is learning how others learn. It's important to know how a mentee learns so that one can better serve and meet their needs.
Jean Tam, CISSP, Cybersecurity Manager/Lead, Subject Matter Expert at Lockheed Martin
Describe your leadership style. How does this influence your approach to training?
I would say I have a Coach-Style Leadership style. I get to know the strengths and desires of the people on my team and make assignments based off those strengths. I give them the tools they need to succeed and extra training on any weaknesses. I don’t expect my team to be geniuses, but I do expect them to have the desire to learn and grow. It is one of the most important traits in engineering, especially in cybersecurity.
Give an example of a time you successfully mentored a coworker:
I had one mentee that wanted a position but was uncertain about her qualifications. It was also outside her comfort zone. We sat down together and evaluated everything she has done, and I encouraged her to apply. We went over possible interview questions and did mock interviews. She ended up getting the job which was a huge promotion. I then coached her on how to negotiate her raise. She was nervous about having the offer rescinded, but I encouraged her to ask anyways. She ended up with a huge raise and was very happy with the overall experience. I’m happy that she went outside her comfort zone and is challenging herself every day in her new job.
Chinatu Uzuegbu, CISSP, CEO/Managing Cyber Security Consultant at RoseTech CyberCrime Solutions Ltd.
What advice do you have for those considering mentorship?
I would advise anyone considering mentorship to be sure of what he/she wants to achieve, carefully select a mentor you are sure is established with proven success in that field and be humble and teachable enough to learn from both conceptual and contextual perspectives demonstrated by the mentor. Mentorship is a game of mutual benefits, both parties will end up gaining in the long run.
Are you interested in becoming a mentor? Connect with your peers and mentees on the Career Discussions Board on the (ISC)² Community here.