Three things my mentees should learn

I didn’t know mastering my backhand on the tennis court would lead me to a career in the aerospace industry, but good advice takes people to surprising places. I loved tennis in high school (I still do). My coach, who was also our high school computer science teacher, encouraged me to take a computer science course. I trusted his advice. I loved the class, studied CS in college, became an engineer and now lead engineers and computer scientists. How’s that for good advice?

My coach was a great mentor, but he wasn’t my first. My father, also an engineer, has that distinction. Between dad and my coach, I was pretty much destined for an engineering career. But I had to choose it for myself. That’s the thing with mentoring: People can guide you, but you have to make your own choices in life. And the more mentors you have, the more information you have to make decisions.?

In that spirit—the more, the merrier—I recently served as a leader in the Space Symposium’s New Generation Space Leaders Leadership Exchange, a speed mentoring event for early career professionals. I met a lot of energetic space leaders that day, eager to make a difference on Earth, in orbit and beyond.?

Here’s the advice I gave to them:

Collaborate.?

Learn now that the better you work with others, the more potential you have for success. Some people summarize this as moving from “Me” to “We,” but put even more simply: as a leader, it is not about you. It is about the success of your team, and not just your team. Working across business groups helps magnify both what you learn and your impact.??Make this happen at every level of your career, because as an individual contributor or as a leader, you’ll get noticed.?Not just for tearing down silos, but as a collaborator, you’ll bring the best out of everyone.

Engage diversity.

Purposefully grow a diverse team with the best talent. Being inclusive takes intention, so go big and go farther to bring in new perspectives. Encourage diverse candidates to apply for positions. And when they say they “are not ready,” help them to see that they are ready, capable and valued. There were times earlier in my career when I have felt the “not ready” challenge. This may be the most important step in the process—knowing that diverse candidates (particularly women ) often feel inadequate to go after positions.

Embrace digital transformation.

This is a way a newer leader in the organization can differentiate themselves and have real impact right now.?Understand it, drive it, deliver it. This type of transformation means different things for different companies, but at Lockheed Martin it’s about improving how people work using technology. That always requires change, and the best motivators in digital transformation understand how to manage cultural change and show the value of the change at work. That takes business savvy, a dash of psychology and a lot of confidence.?

Whether mentoring comes in 8-minute segments like with a speed mentoring session or more enduring relationships, it may surprise you how impactful your words can be. My first mentor at Lockheed Martin was my first manager, and she is someone that I am still in touch with and have become lifelong friends. It is important to have a variety of mentors for the variety of experiences you will have.?Some you will have for your entire career, some for a phase or an experience.??

Good advice can come from anywhere—even on a tennis court. Seek it out, welcome input and embrace change.