An Inspirational Mentor Story of Suresh MJ — Singapore
An adaptable thought Leader who embraces change by constantly learning, unlearning and relearning the dynamic transformational professional landscape. A Certified Support Manager with over 17 years of experience in customer support, people development, customer success strategies and operations management at regional and global levels.
Driven by the lean mind-set, an ICF Certified Coach who boosts Customer Excellence values to retain/grow customers. Inspires the team to Do-It-Right and sustain, through empowered engagement. Served Technology, Telco, Education, BFSI, Government and Media customers internationally. A people person who embraces the technology evolution with a mission to bring people success through simplified solutions.
What do you like the most in Cybersecurity field?
The Field of CyberSecurity is quite broad from a Technology and Nuances perspectives. For me from my 30+ Years of Technology, People and Corporate experience, my liking in CyberSecurity field is “People”.
Why So? They are weakest link who can make the Security Stronger, Sustainable and go beyond to “Serve”.
What motivates you to succeed as a mentor in Cybersecurity field and how would your previous mentee describe you?
I am seeing myself as a Technology Mentor. Cyber Security is a huge vital arena in the Digitized, Collaborative Technology world. The fire in my mentoring partners and the drive to make a difference to wider community gave rise to the motivation to succeed in Mentoring (as well Coaching, which helps me to take a blended approach).
From Mentees: I am seen as someone who calmly listens, provoke the thoughts, empower the self-awareness and challenges the limiting beliefs.
In the Technology space, I have mentored more than 20 mentees/mentoring-partners in the past few years. I have mentored 3 mentees in cybersecurity, of which one is a Women. I have mentored and coached more Women than men in my mentoring/coaching journey during the past 4 years (over 60% roughly)
How much time do you commit for mentoring, do you need to set aside anytime for preparation and how you manage it with your other priorities?
My external mentoring engagement is purely on voluntary basis. It is the way I see that I can pay it forward, from the experience, knowledge and learning that I acquired through my years of corporate experience. I am following the path way of my Mentors in giving back, making a difference and empowering the next generation of Leaders in the Technology and Cybersec sectors.
I manage the commitment based on the needs. I have done mentoring/coaching engagements upto 10 hours (max). If I am looking at 2022 I wish to set aside 3–5 hours a month of my Voluntary engagement for Mentoring/Coaching.
Yes, understanding and preparation certainly be planned for any new Mentoring engagement like any other initiative/activity. My priorities are aligned very much from professional, personal, social and community slicing of my priorities and time management.
Tell us about a time when you were given a tough goal by mentee. How did you handle it?
As a mentor, I move the mentee into a co-creative safe space so that we work the goals irrespective of the complexity together. The mentee is Accountable, while both the mentoring partners are equally responsible for the definition and success of the goals.
I have come across situations where I found myself not the right Mentor for the mentee. We have discussed and made alternative arrangements.
Did you help upscale your mentee’s softer skills and has it helped the mentee in her Cybersecurity Career?
Soft-skills focused towards relationship-building and communication helped my mentee in her decision making process within CyberSecurity career.
Describe your leadership style. How does this influence your approach for mentoring?
I am professional Coach and certified Mentor.
My style is to empower the individuals in my team for ownership, responsibility and accountability. Such focus drives quality outcomes and sustainable results.
Cybersecurity is a vast field; how do you cope with situation when broad goals are set by mentees?
I use a blended approach in mentoring with my coaching tools at times. SMART goals, outcome driven approach are the approaches that help root the Mentoring Agreement. Using the process of chunking down, I partner with the mentee to reframe the goal(s).
What’s the minimum time frame (# days, Months, frequency) a mentee required to achieve the goals?
A mentee (though not from CyberSecurity space) achieved her goal in 5 weeks. Landed in a Job, despite been in long-term pass status.
Should mentees prepare anything technical or take any basic courses before joining Cybersecurity mentoring program? If yes, please suggest some courses or links.
The preparation for mentoring engagement is willingness to change, self-awareness and accountable for self-actions. The individual goals will drive subsequent pathways technically as needed.
Do you have any suggestions for mentees from non-technical backgrounds?
§ My suggestion for the Mentees from non-technical background is:
§ Self-assess interest
§ What drives them into CyberSecurity space
§ What would have been their alternative
§ What does success mean to them
§ Where do they stand currently and where do they want to Go! Through the mentoring engagement
Fun Questions:
If you have magic band with one wish, how you will use it for Cybersecurity and why?
I will baptise the smart geeks from the darkweb/dark-sites. This will bring greater strength to the secured cyberworld. A huge transformation and evolution will be made possible.
If you were to be one appliance from the kitchen, what would you be and why?
Blender … it pulls all ingredients together, blends well for a unique flavor!
If you were to choose other profession, what would it be and why?
I am in a way into such a role. Coaching Services in the Career and Leadership area. This cut across many industries, organizations, professionals and brings me That Meaning to Life!
