Graham says ‘ if you think you can add value and nurture somebody’s career by sharing your own experiences, knowledge and expertise, then do it.’
We caught up with Graham to hear more about his journey that led him to a successful career at Waldeck, and an additional role as Mentor:
Hi Graham, Why did you choose to become a mentor?
I’ve been fortunate in my career to work alongside some very talented individuals, who have helped shape my own career path by sharing their knowledge and expertise within engineering and BIM. With a growing number of apprentices and graduates joining, I felt that it is important to pass on the knowledge and expertise I’ve gained over the years, and watch another colleagues career flourish knowing I played a part in their development.
Please can you tell us a bit about your mentoring experiences so far…
I’ve been a mentor for the past year, mentoring one of our graduate mechanical engineers who joined Waldeck a year and a half ago. The mentoring experience has been really good, and I’m particularly pleased to see my mentee now enrolled onto a masters course. Morson’s Early Careers Development Programme events are also a great opportunity to step away from the office with your mentee, dedicating time to engage in team building exercises, as well as sharing experiences and ideas with others.
What motivates you in your work?
One of the key things which motivates me in my work is watching people and teams develop, playing whatever role I can in their success. I’d be naïve to say we don’t face challenges, whether they are personal or project related, especially where the challenges are out of your control. This fuels my motivation to persevere and work hard to find the solutions needed to succeed.
What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?
I didn’t have any preconceived ideas about how I would feel about mentoring, but the most enjoyable part is knowing that I’ve played an important role at the start of their career.
What challenges do you often face in mentoring, and how do you suggest dealing with them?
I haven’t faced many challenges, but I can appreciate that different mentors will face scenarios where Mentoring could become a challenge.
I’m currently experiencing a scenario where my mentee has relocated offices, therefore we are not together on a daily basis. We deal with this by making sure we stay in regular contact over teams, or we choose a day during the month where we’re working from the same office at the same time.
What advice would you give someone considering becoming a mentor?
My advice is, if you think you can add value and nurture somebody’s career by sharing your own experiences, knowledge and expertise, then do it. It is important to help, encourage and empower the next generation who will ultimately help carry not only the company, but the industry forward.
What books, resources, or people have influenced your career the most?
The biggest influences in my career have been the people I’ve been fortunate enough to work with. After 16 years in the industry, I’ve picked up key attributes, knowledge and skills from a wide range of people which has helped to shape me as a person, as well as the career path I’ve taken.
Graham is one of many mentors, follow the link to hear more from our mentoring team>