What types of individuals do you typically seek out as mentors?

Remember to include mentors that offer expertise in leadership or soft skills in addition to product management-specific expertise. Coinbase values well-rounded candidates who demonstrate a willingness to grow in a variety of ways.

"I seek out a variety of mentors based on their strengths. I first look for mentors who are strong in the specific areas in which I need to grow. For example, when I was early in my career, I needed to learn how to communicate properly with executives. I asked a director I admired if I could shadow her and attend presentations with our executive stakeholders. Through observation and her direct guidance, I learned a lot about how to approach these important conversations and what level of detail was appropriate.

I also seek out mentors who are experts in my field. Sometimes I have the good fortune of working with them directly. I follow others online. I learn about trends and seek to understand their thought processes so that I can grow my strategic and critical thinking skills.

Additionally, I learn a great deal from the mistakes of my mentors. I enjoy working with mentors who are honest and vulnerable and willing to teach what they have learned through trial and error. I find these interactions to be incredibly valuable.

Finally, I consider many of the people I teach or mentor as mentors as well. They offer me the ability to improve upon my teaching style and leadership skills. Their feedback is critical as I grow in my roles as a product manager and a mentor of junior product managers."