Hey all, Good mentoring is more than giving advice. It is also about sponsoring. I've been reflecting on this in the context of a mentoring role in my life. As I've learned about the foundation and taken on new roles, Greg Stein has always been there, pointing out things I can do better, solutions to problems I haven't seen, and opening doors for me. He and I disagree on a lot of things. We are on opposite ends of the political spectrum. We got off to a very rocky start. But we have developed a deep trust and respect for each other.
If we want to become more diverse, we need more people who are willing to sponsor people who are different from ourselves. [1] In our context that means: merging PR requests, inviting committers and PMC members, and nominating members. It means raising the bar on our own mentoring efforts. To look past our differences and find excellent community members in unexpected places. Best Regards, Myrle [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyhoey/2018/12/20/forget-mentoring-sponsorship-is-whats-needed-to-keep-women-in-tech/#7f3ac0765f4a
