--- title: Mentoring Junior Engineers is Worthwhile - ECG description: Most experienced professionals value the opportunity to mentor others; not so for some elite technologists To enable more people in a technical team to do image: https://www.ecg.co/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/regular_16146549307_404c9f5d54_z-1.jpg --- [![ECG](https://www.ecg.co/hubfs/lp/cloud-migration/logo-vector.svg)](https://www.ecg.co) - Who We Are Company [**About ECG** Learn about the team behind the networks and services that solve real problems.](https://www.ecg.co/about) [**Careers** Join a fun, collaborative, engineer-owned company.](https://www.ecg.co/careers) Industries We Serve [**Enterprises** Optimize multi-site voice networks while meeting compliance requirements.](https://www.ecg.co/sectors/enterprise) [**Universities** Professional services designed for the unique needs of campus networks.](https://www.ecg.co/sectors/universities) [**Government** Engineering services built for government agency voice challenges.](https://www.ecg.co/sectors/government) [**Service Providers** Deep voice expertise to maintain compliance and keep customers connected.](https://www.ecg.co/sectors/service-providers) - Technologies **Carrier & Trunking Services** SIP trunking, resilience & carrier interconnect **Compliance & Call Authentication** STIR/SHAKEN, 603+ & secure signaling **Unified Communications & Collaboration** UC capabilities & platform expertise **Platform Reliability & Security** Infrastructure, capture & network fundamentals ### Carrier & Trunking Services Design, harden, and secure the carrier side of your voice network — from SIP trunking to encrypted media and compliant recording. [SIP Trunking](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/sip-trunking-consulting-expertise) [SIP Trunking High Availability](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/sip-trunking-high-availability) [STIR/SHAKEN](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/stir-shaken) [603+](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/603-plus-do-not-originate) [eSIM & FMC](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/esim-fmc) [VoIP TLS & SRTP](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/voip-encryption-tls-srtp) [SIPREC](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/siprec-call-recording) ### Compliance & Call Authentication Meet regulatory requirements end-to-end — call authentication, robocall mitigation, lawful capture, and encrypted signaling. [STIR/SHAKEN](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/stir-shaken) [603+](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/603-plus-do-not-originate) [Packet Capture / PCAP](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/pcap-wireshark-packet-capture-analysis) [VoIP TLS & SRTP](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/voip-encryption-tls-srtp) ### Unified Communications & Collaboration Modern UC capabilities backed by deep, hands-on expertise across every major voice platform. [E911](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/e911) [Business Texting](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/business-texting) [Teams Replace Phone System](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/ms-teams-replace-phone-system) [Provisioning & Endpoint Mgmt](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/sip-provisioning-endpoint-management) [Call Control & Features](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/call-control-features) [SIP Trunking HA](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/sip-trunking-high-availability) [SIPREC](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/siprec-call-recording) [vCon](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/vcon-virtualized-conversations) Platform Expertise [BroadWorks](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/broadworks) [NetSapiens](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/netsapiens-support) [Metaswitch Alianza Core](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/metaswitch-alianza-core) [Oracle Communications](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/oracle-communications-support) [Metaswitch Perimeta](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/metaswitch-perimeta) [Sansay VSXi](https://www.ecg.co/sansay-vsxi-session-border-controller) ### Platform Reliability & Security The infrastructure layer underneath your voice services — engineered, monitored, and secured by people who run it every day. [EKS / Kubernetes](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/kubernetes-eks) [Critical Network Fundamentals](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/critical-network-fundamentals) [Packet Capture / PCAP](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/pcap-wireshark-packet-capture-analysis) [VMware & Alternatives](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/vmware-alternatives) [Routing, Switching & Firewalls](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/routing-switching-firewalls) [Freeswitch](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/freeswitch-open-source-call-processing) - How We Do It Services [**Services Overview** Our experience and expertise in voice and data engineering.](https://www.ecg.co/services) [**Network Operations** Keep your voice network running with outsourced network operations.](https://www.ecg.co/services/network-operations) [**Staff Augmentation** Expert engineering support to meet deadlines and fill knowledge gaps.](https://www.ecg.co/services/staff-augmentation) [**IT Consulting & Engineering** Complete short-term projects faster with a dedicated project manager.](https://www.ecg.co/services/it-consulting-and-engineering) - Resources #### [Utilities Launch Delay Calculator Estimate what a potential product launch delay would cost your business. Try the calculator](https://www.ecg.co/cost-delay-calculator) #### [Resource Library Guides, White Papers & Tools In-depth resources on voice engineering, compliance, and AI — built from real client work. Explore resources](https://www.ecg.co/resource-library) #### [Blog Latest from the ECG Team Practical articles on SIP, UC platforms, network operations, and voice AI. Read the blog](https://www.ecg.co/blog) - [Events](https://www.ecg.co/events) [Login](https://portal.ecg.co) [Contact](https://www.ecg.co/contact) Who We Are [About ECG](https://www.ecg.co/about) [Careers](https://www.ecg.co/careers) Industries We Serve [Enterprises](https://www.ecg.co/sectors/enterprise) [Universities](https://www.ecg.co/sectors/universities) [Government](https://www.ecg.co/sectors/government) [Service Providers](https://www.ecg.co/sectors/service-providers) Technologies Carrier & Trunking Services [SIP Trunking](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/sip-trunking-consulting-expertise) [SIP Trunking High Availability](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/sip-trunking-high-availability) [STIR/SHAKEN](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/stir-shaken) [603+](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/603-plus-do-not-originate) [eSIM & FMC](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/esim-fmc) [VoIP TLS & SRTP](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/voip-encryption-tls-srtp) [SIPREC](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/siprec-call-recording) Compliance & Call Authentication [STIR/SHAKEN](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/stir-shaken) [603+](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/603-plus-do-not-originate) [Packet Capture / PCAP](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/pcap-wireshark-packet-capture-analysis) [VoIP TLS & SRTP](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/voip-encryption-tls-srtp) Unified Communications & Collaboration [E911](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/e911) [Business Texting](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/business-texting) [Teams Replace Phone System](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/ms-teams-replace-phone-system) [Provisioning & Endpoint Mgmt](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/sip-provisioning-endpoint-management) [Call Control & Features](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/call-control-features) [SIP Trunking HA](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/sip-trunking-high-availability) [SIPREC](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/siprec-call-recording) [vCon](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/vcon-virtualized-conversations) Platform Expertise [BroadWorks](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/broadworks) [NetSapiens](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/netsapiens-support) [Metaswitch Alianza Core](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/metaswitch-alianza-core) [Oracle Communications](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/oracle-communications-support) [Metaswitch Perimeta](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/metaswitch-perimeta) [Sansay VSXi](https://www.ecg.co/sansay-vsxi-session-border-controller) Platform Reliability & Security [EKS / Kubernetes](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/kubernetes-eks) [Critical Network Fundamentals](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/critical-network-fundamentals) [Packet Capture / PCAP](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/pcap-wireshark-packet-capture-analysis) [VMware & Alternatives](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/vmware-alternatives) [Routing, Switching & Firewalls](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/routing-switching-firewalls) [Freeswitch](https://www.ecg.co/technologies/freeswitch-open-source-call-processing) How We Do It Services [Services Overview](https://www.ecg.co/services) [Network Operations](https://www.ecg.co/services/network-operations) [Staff Augmentation](https://www.ecg.co/services/staff-augmentation) [IT Consulting & Engineering](https://www.ecg.co/services/it-consulting-and-engineering) Resources [Launch Delay Calculator](https://www.ecg.co/cost-delay-calculator) [Guides, White Papers & Tools](https://www.ecg.co/resource-library) [Latest from the ECG Team](https://www.ecg.co/blog) [Events](https://www.ecg.co/events) [Login](https://portal.ecg.co) [Contact](https://www.ecg.co/contact) # Mentoring Junior Engineers is Worthwhile By: Mark Lindsey 4 min read Aug 22, 2016 ## Most experienced professionals value the opportunity to mentor others; not so for some elite technologists > To enable more people in a technical team to do work, more people have to know how to do it. But for many engineers, training doesn't come natural. > > This is Part 1 in my [Series on Managing Engineers](https://200ok.info/category/management/) *Is one-on-one training a rational activity, or just a feel-good strategy from the HR department?* Many engineers don't believe in the value of training and mentoring junior people because they perceive no personal benefit in training junior people. But there are benefits for everyone involved. The reasons high-tech engineers have for not mentoring others are distinctive to the field. - **Time Calculus:** The time and effort to do a task they've done is less than the time and effort to explain it to somebody else then to ask them to do it. For example: suppose a 2-hour routine-cognitive task requires three hours of training. It's *easier* just to do it than to train someone else in how to do it. - [Mathematical, Non-Verbal People:](http://www.davidsongifted.org/Search-Database/entry/A10188) For some people, it's much easier to control a computer and get the problem done than clearly express ideas verbally. - [Hero Syndrome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_syndrome): The senior person likes to be *the one* to solve problems because they get their self-worth. And the Customers (those who need the help) would rather just get the problem solved the fastest way possible. - **Too Much Variety in tasks.** Some organizations rarely solve the same problem twice. In these cases, the trainable skills are relatively few. - **Weak Junior Staff.** Sometimes the people available to train aren't trainable (brains) or coachable (pride). This is the responsibility of organization to find appropriate staff. - **Job Protection.** There's a myth that some people won't train others because the would-be trainer would thus be subject to losing their job. I'm not sure I've seen real evidence of this. - **Technology changes too fast.** Technical skills have a very short lifetime: [what you learn today may be good for about two years, according to IT World.](http://www.itworld.com/article/2735945/careers/your-technology-skills-have-a-two-year-half-life-and-6-ways-to-stay-current.html) - **My other trainee is a compiler.** Many senior technicians argue that automating the task is a better than training someone else to do it; often that is true. But our desire to write code must be tempered by reality: code doesn't last very long, and will need humans to maintain it. [As Alan Perlis famously said, "It is easier to write an incorrect program than understand a correct one."](http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alanperlis177295.html) Without another human's review of the problem, you may be solving the wrong problem. ### Good Reasons to Train and Mentor Junior Engineers > “In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” > ― [Phil Collins](http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/136961.Phil_Collins) Despite the objections listed above, there are ample good reasons to train and mentor junior engineers. - Explaining a practical art to another human is good for humanity, by enabling more people to do more useful work. - **The Teacher Learns.**  [Explaining and answering questions increases the capabilities of the trainer substantially.](http://ideas.time.com/2011/11/30/the-protege-effect/)The effort to verbally explain a system or technology forces the explainer to crystalize a model of the system they may have not had earlier. (My knowledge of SIP, VoIP Call Control, and RTP grew vastly as I was forced by teaching to verbalize my knowledge, and confront areas I didn't understand.) - **Senior Staff should focus on the Hardest Problems.** After the training is done, the time/effort for the senior staff is substantially reduced. Suppose that two hour task required three hours of training; now when the task needs to be repeated, the junior staff can complete it. *This makes the senior staff more available for the challenging problems for which they are distinctively qualified.* When senior staff are doing the easy stuff, they're usually leaving the harder problems unconsidered. - **Technology is fundamentally about improving efficiency through use of effective tools**, and having more processors capable of completing a task makes the clients more efficient than having to wait on a single-threaded processor. By having only one person capable of providing the work, you're creating a bottleneck and failure mode for the rest of the world. - **Redundant Array of Imperfect Humans (RAIH)**: Everybody gets sick or needs a holiday. By mentoring someone else, you're making it easier for yourself to get a break. You may not want to take a break, but eventually you're going to get sick, die, take vacation, or get a better job. - **Pair Programming Benefits.** Even when automating a task, you can get benefit by bringing in somebody else. [There are many documented benefits of pair programming](http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?PairProgrammingBenefits); the Mentoring benefit is key. ([Yes, pair programming takes more person-hours -- but only about 15%. And for that 15% you get better results.](http://collaboration.csc.ncsu.edu/laurie/Papers/XPSardinia.PDF)) - **Fundamental principles change little.** While technology moves fast, key fundamentals that don't: the Buffer (1950s); Interrupt (1950s); Relational Database (1960s); Packet-Switched Networking (1960s); Structured Programming (1960s); multi-user Operating Systems and Security (1970s); Digital Audio and Video (1960s - 1980s). ## How to Accomplish Mentoring & Training > “You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.” > ―  [Abraham Lincoln](http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/229.Abraham_Lincoln) When you decide to start training another technician, start with the right assumptions. 1. I cannot learn for you. 2. I cannot replace your own curiosity. 3. If you won't ask questions, you're probably not teachable. 4. You can't learn by watching or listening: you have to learn by doing. More on this in a future post. *[Photo Credit: Guido Gloor Modjib](https://www.flickr.com/photos/glodjib/16146549307/in/photolist-qAPhza-8RCmGR-6Z8jDD-qpJzAR-nRaCfF-6Zck5N-6Z8jdF-6Z8jur-7RmBHS-f7MfVL-e9XLkL-6ZcjBC-6Z8iLt-6Z8j3p-9gZpgw-e59TCn-pdpBA8-mfiU9g-6LFb8z-nivyFJ-7LzQ9X-o6G897-9xh62u-H2GZfG-aqjAEo-hWukJh-6ZcjwG-dCdWhZ-6ZcjZL-ffK6bi-CYNKU6-3Kn35-2hpWi-87D8Y7-8q7XHX-b3znEk-dFbGW8-aX62Ji-gEiKaR-8G9ztL-3mQ7Jb-9xiabV-aA3ixq-aXNkfz-4GXcBN-9NDrQR-7C52xy-8UbGeF-e9XTKU-9NGKrb)* [training](https://www.ecg.co/blog/tag/training) [mentoring](https://www.ecg.co/blog/tag/mentoring) [management](https://www.ecg.co/blog/tag/management) ## Similar posts [![Work Flows Up: Effectively Distributing Work on a Team of Engineers](https://www.ecg.co/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/regular_4454497924_202f4e6747_o_smaller-1.jpg)](https://www.ecg.co/blog/120-work-flows-up-effectively-distributing-work-on-a-team-of-engineers) ### [Work Flows Up: Effectively Distributing Work on a Team of Engineers](https://www.ecg.co/blog/120-work-flows-up-effectively-distributing-work-on-a-team-of-engineers) [![On Having an Opinion: Goodness/Badness vs. Pros/Cons](https://www.ecg.co/hubfs/ecg-site/blog-listing-placeholder.jpg)](https://www.ecg.co/blog/47-on-having-an-opinion-goodness-badness-vs-pros-cons) ### [On Having an Opinion: Goodness/Badness vs. Pros/Cons](https://www.ecg.co/blog/47-on-having-an-opinion-goodness-badness-vs-pros-cons) [![What Staff Augmentation Brings to Your Business](https://www.ecg.co/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/regular_shutterstock_1191963076-1.png)](https://www.ecg.co/blog/156-what-staff-augmentation-brings-to-your-business) ### [What Staff Augmentation Brings to Your Business](https://www.ecg.co/blog/156-what-staff-augmentation-brings-to-your-business) ## Need Help With Your Network or AI Project? Get expert advice from engineers who've solved complex problems for carriers, enterprises, and government agencies. [Let's Talk](https://www.ecg.co/contact) [![ecg-logo-white](https://www.ecg.co/hubfs/ecg-site/global/ecg-logo-white.svg "ecg-logo-white")](https://www.ecg.co/) 505 North Toombs St. Suite A Valdosta, Georgia 31601 USA #### Headquarters - 1.866.324.0700 US Toll-free - 1.229.244.2099 International - 1.229.244.2399 Fax - [info@e-c-group.com](mailto:info@e-c-group.com) #### Services - [Overview](https://www.ecg.co/services) - [Network Operations](https://www.ecg.co/services/network-operations) - [Custom AI Development](https://www.ecg.co/services/custom-ai-development) - [Outsourced NOC Support](https://www.ecg.co/services/outsourced-noc-support) - [Staff Augmentation](https://www.ecg.co/services/staff-augmentation) - [IT Consulting & Engineering](https://www.ecg.co/services/it-consulting-and-engineering) #### Company - [About](https://www.ecg.co/about) - [Careers](https://www.ecg.co/careers) - [Blog](https://www.ecg.co/blog) - [Resources](https://www.ecg.co/resource-library) - [Events](https://www.ecg.co/events) © ECG, Inc. [Privacy Policy](https://9353907.hs-sites.com/privacy) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mark Lindsey", "url" : "https://www.ecg.co/blog/author/mark-lindsey" }, "dateModified" : "2024-03-25T07:04:37.587Z", "datePublished" : "2016-08-22T04:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Mentoring Junior Engineers is Worthwhile - ECG", "image" : [ "https://www.ecg.co/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/regular_16146549307_404c9f5d54_z-1.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.ecg.co/blog/121-mentoring-junior-engineers-is-worthwhile", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.ecg.co/hubfs/ECG_hexagons_and_url_borderless.jpeg" }, "name" : "ECG, Inc" } } ```