70-10-20: The secret code that forever improved how I use mentorship for personal growth
Mentorship has the power to radically improve lives.
I’ve worked in the Architectural profession for over fifteen years.
In that time, I’ve learned a lot about how to design buildings.
But I’ve also learned a lot about how to mentor humans.
The Best Tool in the Box
My long-time mentor once shared with me the single greatest mentorship tool—one I still use to this day.
He didn’t have a name for it, but I’ve grown to call it the 70-20-10 Rule.
In creative professions (like Architecture), technical and subjective problems must be evaluated equally.
Technical — A building needs to be designed for its prescribed function. (e.g. Structure, Materials, Constructability)
Subjective — A building needs to be designed for the human experience. (e.g. Aesthetics, Perception, Wayfinding)
The 70-10-20 Rule
When an Project Manager or mentor gives someone on their team a task, expect the following:
70% of the resulting work will be correct and just as you asked
10% of the resulting work will be wrong
The magic though happens in what remains.
20% of the resulting work will be unexpected
Why it Works
The reason this rule is so powerful is because it does two things:
It allows a mentor to have a conversation about what can be done better the next time
It gives the mentee an opportunity to bring their talents through the work in unexpected ways
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Creative professionals need to learn their craft, but they also need to build confidence in their own creativity.
Mentors are given a product that can be refined. They build skills in empathy. They become better leaders.
Emerging Creatives get valid a kick at the can. They build technical skills. They become better designers.
How to use 70-20-10 as a Leader
Expect the unexpected — Let the creative you’re supervising make mistakes and take chances. Let them stumble, but give them enough space to surprise you. A good design idea is good regardless of where it comes from.
Learn from their skills — While they may not have the deep knowledge you possess yet, emerging creatives have skills that they can teach you as well. Let them share their expertise to improve your own.
See each task as a teaching opportunity — Look and listen for cues to add value to the discussion. When something goes awry, explain why. When something unexpected happens, share what a normal outcome would have looked like.
How to use 70-20-10 as a Mentee
Give yourself a break — No one’s expecting you to be an all-star on day one or even day six hundred. Creative endeavors take time. Do your best to take in the assignments you’re given and do them to the best of your ability.
Take a stance — When you bring your solution back to your supervisor, make sure it’s something you’d stand behind wholeheartedly. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be something you believe in.
Put on your humility hat — You won’t get everything right. Ask questions for the things you outright don’t understand or made assumptions on. Be clear on the level of expertise you have and look for those on your team who can help you fill the gaps.
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Mentorship is a dance, not a one-way street.
People grow when they have the opportunity to and supportive leaders willing to hear them.
TL; DR
Mentorship has the power to change lives
Creatives need empathetic mentors
70% of a mentee’s solution will be correct
10% of a mentee’s solution will be wrong
20% of a mentee’s solution will be unexpected
Mentorship is an opportunity to teach and learn
Quote of the Week
Motivation for the days ahead of you.
“The people closest to me determine my level of success or failure. The better they are, the better I am. And if I want to go to the highest level, I can do it only with the help of other people. We have to take each other higher.”
— John C. Maxwell
That's all for now.
Stay creative, my friends—and have a great week!
