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The Mentoring Relationship

The Mentoring Relationship. Sponsored by the Baylor– UTHouston Center for AIDS Research Dorothy E. Lewis, Ph.D. Mentoring Relationship. What does each party need/expect?. Importance of Mentoring. Advice from someone who has been there

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The Mentoring Relationship

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  1. The Mentoring Relationship Sponsored by the Baylor–UTHouston Center for AIDS Research Dorothy E. Lewis, Ph.D.

  2. Mentoring Relationship What does each party need/expect?

  3. Importance of Mentoring • Advice from someone who has been there • Advice about how to approach problems and technical issues • Advice from someone in the same boat as you

  4. Rowing your own boat can be satisfying—but also lonely

  5. What Is a Mentor? • Mentor was a friend of Odysseus charged with educating his son • Odysseus trusted Mentor—a big part of mentoringis establishing trust • Mentor was a tutor, an educator who imparted knowledge important to create a new leader

  6. Types of Mentors • Mentor as in Odysseus—a direct teacher • Mentor who advises about career • Mentor in the same boat ALL are important for success

  7. Responsibilities of the Mentor • Find out what the mentee needs • Find out what the mentee wants, ie, big plans • Find out how you as a mentor can help

  8. What the Mentor Is Not • A Best Friend Forever. Friendship can develop but the relationship is not really about friendship, ie, your parents are not really your friends • Someone who does the work for you—the onus is on the mentee • Someone who solves all problems—the mentor offers advice but is NOT a fixer • Rather, the mentor offers guidance, teaching, tutoring, and nudging in a successful direction

  9. Is There Only One Direction? • Wise mentors know that there are many useful directions in life—AND it’s not YOUR life, it’s theirs • Think of the parenting example—You want the best for your children, but it’s THEIR life

  10. Inspiration Instruction does much, butencouragement does everything Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  11. More Advice for Mentoring • Best mentors push you out of your comfort zone. My high school history teacher required special projects of me—that made me think about new worlds • Mentors offer a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a gentle push in the right direction

  12. Aspects of the Mentoring Relationship • Mentoring—focus is on individual learners • Coaching—focus is on a specific question or skill • Counseling—a part of mentoring but focused on the big picture, ie, where to go in life

  13. Core Features of Mentors • Coach • Counselor • Teacher • Role model • Cheerleader

  14. Coach • Ever had a coach teach you how to play a sport, how to be a teammate? • Wisdom and technique are imparted, but the player has to practice and get better—also true in music instruction

  15. Counselor • Ever sought advice about a tough problem—a direction to take that is the wisest? • A counselor is different from a coach—information could be quite specific or quite general, but does not usually involve HOW to do something—more HOW to get there

  16. Teacher • Ever had a great teacher? What did they do that was special? • I learned how to teach from a great teacher I had in graduate school • Someone to learn specific information from—a technique, a skill, a thought process • We are all teachers, as we are all learners

  17. Mentor as Role Model • I always saw people doing something I wanted to do and tried to emulate them • Charles Barkley always said he did not want to be a role model, ie, someone to look up to and emulate • However, if you are good at something and recognized as such—the role model title follows

  18. Cheerleader • Who is your biggest cheerleader? • My mom was my biggest cheerleader (not a coach, directing my every move). She was more on the sidelines, encouraging me to go forward • My husband is now my biggest cheerleader

  19. Specifics for Mentors What is a good strategy?

  20. The Mentor Asks:What’s in It for Me? • To help is the reward • To see advancement in the mentee • To leave something tangible behind • Why do you help your own children? What do you get back? Sure, you love them, but there is another component.

  21. Five Questions forMentors to Pose • What is it that you really want to be and do? • What are you doing that is helping you get there? • What are you not doing well that hinders your progress? • What will you do differently tomorrow to meet those challenges? • How can I help and where do you need the most help?

  22. Mentors—Critical but not Skeptical • Mentees are sharing their ideas—a part of themselves. So, it is important to listen and think about their ideas before you criticize with a sharp knife. • Try to think about their ideas in positive terms, not negative terms. Try to remember: “The future belongs to those who believe in thebeauty of their dreams.” Eleanor Roosevelt

  23. The Highs and Lows of Research • The lesson to impart, especially in these trying times, is that self awareness trumps all—that is, it is hugely important to know your strengths and weaknesses • A mentor can help a mentee with self-awareness crucial for success in science (or anything)

  24. Specific Tasks for Mentors • Develop a written training program for a mentee fellowship application—if you need helpwith this, CFAR can provide • Individual Development Plans are all the rage and are likely to be required in the future • Document your previous/current training record—if you have it all written down, it is easier to retrieve • Write letters of recommendation for the mentee and other services, ie, reading grants, etc.

  25. Specifics for Mentors • Establish a time to meet—an hour is good • Timing of meeting could be as often as weekly or only monthly, depending on what is needed. MORE TIME = MORE SUCCESS!!!! Limit the number of mentees—two is a good number • Set up a contract that establishes expectations • Each mentee is unique and requires individual advice • Goal is to get the mentee to become more self aware

  26. Specifics for Mentors • Our own CFAR data indicate that those mentees who spent the MOST time with their mentors were more successful in getting Developmental awards than those who spent less time with their mentors. • Successful applicants spent an average of 5–10 hrsBEFORE the application was due compared to unsuccessful applicants who only spent an average of 1–2 hrs with their mentors.

  27. Time Is Money!!! • Spend time with your mentees and they are more likely to be funded!!!!!!

  28. Specifics for the Mentee What do I need? What to expect.

  29. Do I Really Need a Mentor? • Actually, we all do at many stages of life, for different reasons and purposes • Mentors can make all the difference in the directions you take and what you learn along the way • This requires that you look inward!

  30. What Do You Need Advice About? • How to write and get grants • How to run a lab • How to prioritize things I am expected to do • How to define expectations of myself/others

  31. Make a List/Organize Your Thoughts • Write down your key strengths • Write down your weak areas • If your weaknesses hold you back, make a plan to improve • Mentors can help with many aspects of this process

  32. What Are Your Strengths? • Writing? • Generating/interpreting data? • Analysis of data/presenting data? • Organizing your time? Try to find ways to take advantage of your strengths—a mentor can help with this

  33. What Are Your Weaknesses? • Time management • People skills • How to prioritize • How to say no Whatever your weaknesses are, you need to be straight with yourself—what you can change/improve and what you cannot change

  34. Mentee Responsibilities • To show up and participate in your own improvement • To do the work—don’t expect the mentor to do this • To benefit from the help, you must help yourself

  35. The Relationship Can Work! • Mentors can help new scientists be more successful or decide what is really best for them • Mentees gain from advice on various aspects of career development—don’t have to go it alone

  36. CFAR Specifics for Mentees • Work with mentor to develop research project, including goals and timelines • Include a mentor letter describing the mentor’s role • If successful, critiques should be carefully read and changes made in design, etc. • All ethical standards should be met • Regular feedback/interaction with mentor is required at monthly intervals (at least)

  37. Specifics for Mentees—TIME Spent Produces Results!!!!! • Our own CFAR data show that the more time you spend with your mentor, the more likely you are to get a Developmental award—so do the time! • If the mentoring is NOT working, let us know—we can help!!!! Both BEFORE and AFTER the grant is turned in.

  38. CFAR Specifics for Mentees • Formal bi-yearly assessments with mentor • Discussion of how research will be disseminated/published • Realize the responsibilities of lifelong learning • Seek career development opportunities outside the laboratory • Follow institutional rules regarding research materials and their ownership

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