Jan 2, 2019, 12:43 AM ETFireside Chat, Panel, Conference Presentation

a16z Podcast | On Mentors and Mentees

Ben Horowitz's first mentorship at Silicon Graphics (SGI) began in 1987 via a referral from a yoga class contact, bypassing SGI founder Ed McCracken and landing with Ken Coleman, a manager six levels down the org chart.
Coleman attributes his selection of Horowitz to looking past resumes and "15 years of experience" specs to identify "skills, abilities, and personal attributes" like drive and an "edge."
Horowitz notes that his initial performance was driven by the fear of embarrassing his mentor, resulting in a commitment to "work twice as hard" as anyone else.
Coleman identifies "intelligent override" of flawed corporate systems as a critical skill for breaking into companies, comparing the persistence required to finding a "side door" against the "side door" in venture capital fundraising.
Horowitz lists Andy Grove (author of High Output Management) as an unexpected mentor he "mentored" via his own writing before Grove asked him to write a foreword for a new edition, calling it his "favorite thing" he has ever written.

Mentorship becomes essential during the CEO transition, particularly when a company scales from ~125 employees (where a CEO knows everyone) to 500+ (where the CEO must rely on experts and cannot micromanage).
Effective mentorship requires a shift from giving direct instructions to asking "good questions" that snap the mentee out of emotional states and into intellectual problem-solving.
Ken Coleman defines high-growth potential by observing if a mentee implements advice or changes behavior a week after a conversation, rather than simply agreeing in the moment.
Horowitz suggests using a "mirror" technique where the mentor repeats the mentee's own logic back to them to force them to confront inconsistencies in their thinking.
The relationship is described as "organic" and dependent on "chemistry," requiring both parties to trust that the other is genuine and not merely seeking to extract value.

Coleman cites the book Five Smooth Stones, which advises minorities to acknowledge the existence of prejudice without "looking under the bed" for it or using it as an excuse for failure.
Diversity initiatives fail when companies hire for diversity (the "elephant") but fail to accommodate cultural differences in the workplace (the "building" remains too narrow), leading to exclusion.
Coleman argues that hiring managers subconsciously try to "minimize risk" by profiling candidates after themselves, which inadvertently filters out diverse talent and raises the qualification bar for non-standard backgrounds.
The optimal hiring strategy is to "maximize opportunity" by hiring for "strength, not the lack of weakness," acknowledging that every candidate has a weakness that can be managed if known.
Horowitz notes that diversity issues often surface more quickly and powerfully for individuals from minority groups, making addressing these issues a "hard" but necessary path to becoming a better leader.

Junior professionals should approach potential mentors by requesting a lunch to ask questions, rather than immediately asking for a formal mentorship, to gauge "chemistry" and genuine interest.
Mentors should look for "grit and determination" in mentees, specifically those who come prepared, do not waste time, and have a track record of promoting others.
Mentorship relationships should be terminated when the mentee acts as if they "know it all," refuses to listen to advice, or consistently fails to tell the truth to the mentor.
Horowitz advises entrepreneurs who feel they do not fit a specific company culture to consider entrepreneurship as a "third way" to create their own environment.
Both speakers emphasize that successful mentorship is a two-way street where the mentor also learns, citing Horowitz learning from his mentees about operational "tripwires" and specific leadership traits like relentless standards.