Mentorship is often discussed as a tool for early career development yet its value does not diminish as engineers become more senior. Bo Yang’s experience through the IET mentoring programme shows how guidance from an experienced volunteer can help established leaders sharpen their impact refine their narrative and step confidently into wider influence.
“I didn’t seek a mentor to learn how to do engineering, but to refine how I position leadership and articulate impact at a systems level.”
When Bo first connected with her mentor Colin, she was already operating at Director level. She was leading large teams and delivering complex engineering programmes, but her challenge was no longer technical depth. Instead, her focus had shifted to scaling impact across organisations, strategy, and industry influence. At this stage of her career, Bo was less concerned with how to do engineering and more interested in how to position her leadership and articulate her contribution at a systems level.
Seeking a mentor through the IET was a deliberate decision. Bo wanted support that aligned with the standards expected of senior leaders and Fellows within the institution. Colin brought that perspective. His mentoring encouraged Bo to step back from day‑to‑day execution and think more deliberately about leadership narrative, professional influence, and long‑term contribution to the field.
“The challenge wasn’t a lack of achievement, it was translating a broad and complex body of work into a clear, compelling narrative.”
One of the most significant moments in Bo’s mentoring journey came during her application for IET Fellowship. At this level, the challenge was not a lack of achievement but translating a broad and complex body of work into a clear and compelling narrative aligned with IET expectations.
Colin’s support played a key role in shaping that narrative. He helped Bo distil years of leadership, technical delivery, and organisational impact into a coherent story that aligned with reviewer criteria. This shifted the application from a list of accomplishments to a clear demonstration of influence and leadership. His understanding of how Fellows are assessed brought an external perspective that strengthened the final submission.
Before working with a mentor, Bo often relied on instinct and experience when presenting her work. While effective to a point, this approach lacked external challenge. Through mentoring, Colin introduced that calibration, helping ensure Bo’s work was not only strong but communicated at the right level and in the right way.
“It was never about over‑correction; it was about refinement.”
What stood out most to Bo about Colin’s mentoring style was his ability to combine strategic insight with practical guidance. He brought a strong understanding of the IET, its standards, and the Fellowship assessment process, and communicated this with clarity and purpose. His advice was consistently precise and actionable, grounded in real expectations rather than theory.
Equally important was the way Colin challenged Bo. He encouraged higher‑level thinking and greater discipline in presentation and prioritisation, while maintaining a measured and respectful approach. The focus was always on refinement rather than correction, allowing Bo to stretch and grow without losing confidence.
Colin also helped Bo stay focused on what truly mattered by cutting through noise and keeping attention aligned with higher‑level goals. This clarity supported not only her Fellowship ambitions but her wider professional journey as her responsibilities continued to expand.
“Since working with Colin, my leadership has become more structured and intentional.”
Since working with her mentor, Bo describes her leadership approach as more structured and intentional. She has gained confidence not only in her experience but in how she communicates and positions that experience in formal reviews and executive settings. This shift directly supported her career progression.
The mentoring relationship coincided with Bo’s transition from Director to Vice President, bringing significantly broader scope and responsibility. She now approaches leadership with a stronger focus on organisational impact, strategic alignment, and long‑term value creation. Alongside this, she has developed greater discipline around prioritisation and narrative, ensuring her work and communication reflect senior leadership expectations.
“The value of mentoring does not diminish with seniority, it becomes more important.”
Bo encourages engineers at mid to senior levels to seek out mentoring through the IET. At this stage, mentoring is less about addressing technical gaps and more about gaining perspective and strategic clarity. The right mentor can help sharpen focus and strengthen professional narrative in line with senior leadership expectations.
A shared perspective on senior mentoring
Colin Davis, Bo’s mentor through the IET programme, reflects on the value of the relationship and what it demonstrates about mentoring at senior levels:
"Bo is an excellent example of a mentee whose achievements had already propelled her to a high level in her corporate structure, but who needed an external viewpoint that could help her visualise aspirations, futures and challenges that were the next potential steps for her. She was a pleasure to work with, and to respond to, analysing the drivers at work and exploring strategic perspectives on the forces that mould the systems that we all operate within. The collaboration with Bo became a good demonstration of how a professional mentoring relationship can be mutually satisfying for both mentee and mentor - despite being a continent apart."
Colin
Thank you to Bo and Colin for sharing their experience and for showing the impact that dedicated volunteering can have across the IET community.
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