Mentoring/GettingStarted

Longterm Mentoring – Getting Started Guide

Mentoring is an important tool for growing our OpenStack community and leadership. Congratulations on joining the OpenStack Mentoring program and your commitment to continued growth and development! To help you get going, we’re providing some ideas for you to consider as you start your mentoring relationship and keep it on track. Please build upon these and customize them for you.

Arranging Your First Meeting

• Review the contact info and preferred working/communication style information included in your “It’s a Match” email.
• We suggest the Mentee own the arranging the first meeting by proposing a date, time and mechanism (irc, phone, etc), as well as propose the initial agenda.
• For the initial discussion some topics to consider for your agenda are:
• Introductions (5-10 mins each person)
  • Short Personal Backgrounds
  • Short Work Backgrounds
  • Participation in the OpenStack Community
  • 6 month Goals
  • Mentee Goals
  • Mentor Goals
  • Plan for Upcoming Meetings
  • Frequency
  • Method
  • Dates & Times

Setting Goals

• We suggest establishing Goals for both the Mentor and Mentee. Value to both of you is an important element of a successful, enduring relationship.
• There are no bad goals – if it’s important to you, then it’s worthy of being a goal.
• Examples:
  • Make my voice heard in Project X
  • Come up to speed and become productive with the Community Tools
  • Become a Contributor to Project Y
  • Create a User Story as a Cross-Project Spec
  • Become a member or leader of a working group

Feedback

• Open and honest communication is the foundation of a mentoring relationship
• In your 3rd (or so meeting) discuss how the mentoring is working and what you can both do to improve it.
• If you would like some help with this discussion a member from the Mentoring Program can join you.
  • Kendall Nelson, knelson@openstack.org, irchandle: diablo_rojo
  • Emily Hugenbruch, ekhugenbruch@us.ibm.com, irchandle:ekhugen
• You will receive an email from the Mentoring Program after 3 months, asking how things are going and what feedback you have for the Program team. Your response is confidential and will be very valuable in helping to evolve this program for our Community.