The truth hit fast. The hum of massive boilers, the precision required in the control room, and the unspoken rules of refinery life overwhelmed him. Processes moved fast, expectations moved faster. The supervisors wanted results, and his colleagues didn’t have time to explain every detail.
Luckily, someone noticed.
Encik Harun, a senior engineer with 20 years under his belt and a quiet smile that carried more weight than a lecture, took Amir under his wing. Without calling it “mentoring,” Harun showed Amir how things worked—not just the machines, but the people. He didn’t always give answers but asked questions that made Amir think harder.
“Why do you think the steam pressure spiked?”
“What would you change in this process?”
“If you were in charge, what would you do differently?”
Their conversations weren’t just about engineering. They talked about leadership, work ethic, communication, and personal growth. Harun also encouraged Amir to join Toastmasters to sharpen his public speaking and interpersonal skills. That experience transformed Amir’s ability to communicate ideas clearly and confidently.
Years passed.
Amir grew from a nervous junior engineer into one of the refinery’s key process leads. His technical skills improved, but it was his ability to listen, guide, and connect with others that made him stand out. He remembered how hard it had been in the beginning. So when new graduates arrived, uncertain and overwhelmed—just like he once was—Amir stepped up.
He became a mentor.
One of his first protégés, Farah, was a bright chemical engineering grad with a passion for sustainable refining. Like Amir once did, she struggled with the transition from textbook knowledge to the practical world of high-pressure systems and operational demands. Amir saw her potential and offered to support her—not with answers, but with space to grow.
They met weekly. Sometimes it was on-site, other times virtually. Amir practiced the same approach Harun used—guiding with questions, not commands.
“What’s your biggest challenge this week?”
“What do you think is the root cause?”
“What’s one small change you can test?”
He didn’t just teach her about pump efficiency or temperature controls. He helped her reflect on how she responded to pressure, how she handled feedback, and how to lead even without a title.
Through mentoring Farah, Amir realized he was still learning. Each protégé brought new ideas, different ways of thinking, and fresh perspectives on challenges he thought he’d already mastered. In helping others, he was growing himself.
The refinery, once just a place of production and deadlines, had become a learning ecosystem. And Amir—a once-lost graduate—had become a node of growth, a quiet leader leaving a legacy of knowledge, support, and empowerment.
As Amir often said:
"A mentor doesn't give you the path—they walk beside you while you find your own."
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