From IC to leader: a lightweight mentoring path

The path

1. Shadow. Join incident channels as a quiet observer; review post-mortems together.
2. Co-pilot. Run a small portion (notes, timeline, or comms) with a senior lead present.
3. Lead a drill. Tabletop exercises with clear injects and measurable outcomes.
4. Own an incident. Senior leader backstops; feedback within 24 hours.

What we practice

• Clarity over certainty. Call the severity with available info, then adjust.
• Small batches. One change at a time, explicit rollback plan.
• Comms cadence. External and internal updates on a timer, not a feeling.

Artifacts

• Incident commander checklist — roles, comms, handoffs.
• Runbook skeleton — preconditions, steps, expected results, rollback.
• After-action template — facts → findings → fixes → follow-through (owners + dates).

Mentoring is a system: reps, feedback, and a safe runway to try leading for real.

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