Farmehr: Lucy and I were able to find the best balance between us to make it work for us and what we both needed from it."
Mentor: Lucy Luo
- Leadership Network member since 2016 while based in Singapore
- Chief of Staff at First AML, Auckland
Mentee: Farmehr Farhour
- Leadership Network member since 2020
- Technical co-founder and CTO of Kara Technologies, Auckland
Why did you want to take part in the Mentorship Programme?
Farmehr: I took part in the Mentorship Programme as a mentee, wanting to expand my professional network. But more so, I wanted to have a mentor with whom I can freely discuss my career-related issues, especially when it came to my start-up.
Lucy: I have benefited a lot from great mentors in my past, and so was keen to help someone else.
Had you had much to do with each other prior to this?
Lucy: We hadn’t met before.
Farmehr: As a new member of the Leadership Network, I had not met Lucy prior to being paired up through the Mentorship Programme.
Farmehr at the Leadership Network Induction in 2021
What have you gained through being a mentor/mentee?
Lucy: Having a mentee is also a great way to learn from someone else's perspective and life experiences. Sometimes as we grow older and more "experienced" (i.e. more cynical), it's refreshing to be reminded of the optimism and energy that comes with youth.
Farmehr: It has been an incredibly rewarding experience as a mentee. I was initially unsure of how the mentor/mentee relationship could work. However Lucy and I were able to find the best balance between us to make it work for us and what we both needed from it. Throughout the year I was able to discuss my problems, concerns, and career-related questions with Lucy, and gained very valuable insights. I was quite lucky to have Lucy as my mentor, as I was able to tap into her knowledge of the start-up world.
What was one thing about each other that surprised/impressed you?
Lucy: It was great to see how motivated Farmehr is, and passionate about the causes he is working on. He is very thoughtful about how he builds his team and culture while overcoming adversity.
Farmehr: I was surprised to find a good friend to talk to in my mentor: we never kept any conversation formal, and always had something to laugh about every time we met. Lucy has a very friendly approach to conversations, making it easy to talk to her about any issues; she would give you great advice without any judgements attached.
Lucy: "A good mentorship is premised on asking lots of questions and deep listening, and not being prescriptive but letting the mentee come to their own decisions."
How did the mentorship develop over time?
Farmehr: If I were to summarise it in one sentence, it would be that our mentorship relationship grew from a formal mentor/mentee one to a friendship of two like-minded individuals.
What advice would you give someone thinking about taking part in the Mentorship Programme?
Lucy: Spend time getting to know each other at the beginning, as it helps to have an understanding of the person's experiences (and biases!) to see where they can help you. A good mentorship is premised on asking lots of questions and deep listening, and not being prescriptive but letting the mentee come to their own decisions.
Farmehr: Definitely do it! If you're thinking of being a mentee, make sure to discuss with your mentor your intentions and what you'd hope to gain from the programme. Be honest with yourself and your mentor.