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(U) The Value of Mentoring
FROM: Charlie Meals
Signals Intelligence Deputy Director
Run Date: 08/29/2003
(U) Look in any bookstore or reading list these days and you are sure to find a plethora of
materials devoted to mentoring. People have an innate desire to better themselves and to make
a difference to the people around them, both in their personal and professional lives. Within SID,
skill and career development are important for each of us, as well as for SID as an organization.
But how do we advance development? Formal mentoring programs are great, but there are
many things we do on a regular basis which also fall into that "thing" we call mentoring.
(U) How did you learn what you know about SIGINT?
(U//FOUO) Perhaps...
your supervisor enrolled you in some basic SIGINT courses;
a colleague sat sidesaddle with you and walked you through the functions of a particular
database;
a friend unraveled a complex acronym-oriented sentence for you;
a language analyst helped you understand the meaning of some foreign language jargon;
your team chief helped you write your first internal resume; or
a peer shared with you their worst and best first few days at NSA.
(U) How are you sharing what you know with others?
(U//FOUO) Do you...
show the new person in your office what databases and accounts they need to work
effectively?
provide budding linguists with in-house resources and guidance to help perfect their
language skills?
share a particular target trend you've noticed with a new Intelligence Analyst? or
recommend good external assignments to someone who is trying to plan their career 5
years down the road?
(U) This is mentoring?
(U) Sure it is - sharing knowledge and providing guidance and counsel to a lesser experienced
colleague. And it's a low cost investment and rewarding way to:
build essential skills and knowledge;
enhance leadership at all levels of the organization;
increase productivity and innovation;
provide greater agility in responding to opportunities by shortening the learning curve;
and
foster teamwork and break down barriers.
(U) Why is this important to you and to me?
(U//FOUO) Because tomorrow's success depends on you and me! And we need to...
welcome new employees into SID and show them the ropes. Let them know "the good,
the bad, and the ugly."
quickly bring colleagues up to speed. With today's fast-paced, continuous technological
advancements, and the complexity of targets and the global environment, we can't afford
the time it would take for every analyst to learn things on his/her own.
capture today's knowledge base, develop the work force of tomorrow, and shape leaders
to ensure the future success of SIGINT!
(U//FOUO) To learn more about mentoring, I recommend you visit the Agency's Mentoring
Network website . In the future I will share articles with you on mentoring efforts currently
underway in the SIGINT Directorate, how to find a mentor in SID, and other related information.
In the interim, I encourage each of you to mentor others, seek out mentors, share your
knowledge, and learn from each other!
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108