C2 Corner: How I Mentor

Foreword

By Chris Camacho, Co-Founder & COO at Abstract

When we published the first C2 Corner with Jim Routh, Why I Mentor, the response was immediate and consistent.

People didn’t just read it—they shared it, referenced it, and reached out to say how closely it mirrored their own experiences navigating leadership in cybersecurity. Jim’s perspective resonated because it was grounded in reality. No frameworks for show. No performative leadership. Just hard-earned lessons from someone who has lived the role and quietly helped many others do the same.

This post is a continuation of that conversation.

In Part 1, Jim explained why he mentors—how responsibility, timing, and lived experience shaped his commitment to paying it forward. In this follow-up, he goes deeper into how he mentors: the principles, expectations, and practices he’s relied on for decades to help people grow with clarity and confidence. It’s practical by design, and intentionally demanding.

At Abstract, we believe progress in this industry comes from investing in people as much as platforms. Leaders like Jim set that standard long before it was fashionable, and his approach continues to influence how I show up—for my team, our customers, and the broader security community.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to continue this series with him.

How I Mentor

By Jim Routh

In Part 1, Why I Mentor, I shared the story of how mentoring showed up for me when I needed it most, before there were playbooks, before the CISO role was well understood, and before anyone pretended this job was easy.

This follow‑up is more practical.

It reflects what I’ve learned about what actually works in a mentoring relationship, both as a mentee and as a mentor.

What Mentoring Is—and Isn’t

Mentoring is not coaching, consulting, or management.

It’s not simply solving someone else’s problems for them, or telling them what decision to make.

The role of a mentor is to help people think through ambiguity, trade‑offs, and consequences—especially in situations where there is no clearly right answer.

Often that means asking questions rather than giving advice.

Mentoring Principles

These principles came from my earliest mentoring experience and have held up for more than two decades.

1. The mentee does the heavy lifting.
   Mentoring only works when the person asking for help takes ownership of their own development.
2. Mentors make themselves available as needs change.
   Careers aren’t linear. The kind of support someone needs evolves over time.
3. The relationship lasts as long as it’s useful.
   Some mentoring relationships are short and intense. Others span entire careers.
4. Every successful professional uses mentors.
   Many use them consistently, not just during moments of crisis.
5. Commitment and openness matter.
   Mentoring requires a real willingness to invest time and receive honest feedback.

Mentoring Practices

Principles matter, but practices are what make mentoring workable at scale.

These are the practices I’ve relied on for years.

1. The mentee schedules the meetings.
   They own the logistics, timing, and follow‑through.
2. The mentee sets the agenda.
   They come prepared with topics, questions, and any material that’s helpful for discussion.
3. Everything is confidential.
   Trust is non‑negotiable. If information ever needs to be shared, that’s discussed explicitly beforehand.
4. The mentee sets the cadence.
   Frequency changes as careers and circumstances change.
5. Learning continues outside the meeting.
   Mentees commit to professional development activities between sessions.

Why This Still Matters

The CISO role is still one of the loneliest jobs in the enterprise.

Technical knowledge helps, but it’s rarely the limiting factor. Leadership, communication, judgment, and resilience are. 

Mentoring helps close that gap. It creates continuity across generations of leaders, even as technology and threats change.

That’s why I continue to do this work.

Closing

If you’re early in your career, seek out mentors before you feel ready.

If you’re later in your career, consider becoming one.

The profession is stronger when we take responsibility for each other, not just for the systems we’re hired to protect.

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