Professor Afolayan, J.O.Ag. Vice Chancellor

Landmark University, Omu-Aran

TEAM BUILDING AND ACADEMIC MENTORSHIP

ADMONITION

There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; …Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up…a threefold cord is not quickly broken

Ecclesiastes 4:8-10,12

OUTLINE

• Team Building– Definitions, Stages, Benefits

• Academic Mentorship– Meaning, Models, Roles, Benefits

• Concluding Remarks

TEAM BUILDING

Definitions• Team building is an ongoing process

that helps a work group evolve into a cohesive unit. The team members not only share expectations for accomplishing group tasks, but trust and support one another and respect one another's individual differences.

Definitions

• Philosophy of job design in which employees are viewed as members of interdependent teams instead of as individual workers.

• Ability to identify and motivate individual employees to form a team that stays together, works together, and achieves together.

Stages of Team Building

Forming • Members of the team get to know one

another, exchange some personal information, and make new friends.

• Each member of the team works as an individual and see how they respond to pressure.

Forming

• Serious issues and feelings are avoided, and people focus on being busy with routines such as team organization, who does what, when to meet, the scope of their task and how to approach it.

• The team meets and learns about the opportunities and challenges, and then agrees on goals and begins to tackle the tasks.

Storming

• The stage in which different ideas compete for consideration.

• The team addresses what problems to be solved, how they will function independently and together and what leadership model they will accept.

• Members open up to each other and confront each other's ideas and perspectives.

Storming

• The storming stage can be contentious, unpleasant and even painful to members of the team who are averse to conflict.

• Without tolerance and patience, a team will fail.

Norming

• The stage at which a team manages to have one goal and come to a mutual plan.

• All team members take responsibility and have the ambition to work for the success of the team's goals.

Performing

• A team now functions as a unit as they find ways to get the job done smoothly and effectively without inappropriate conflict or the need for external supervision.

• There is now motivation and knowledge.• The team becomes competent,

autonomous and able to handle the decision-making process.

Benefits

• Teamwork increases efficiency: Every individual has specialties, and collaboration allows each person to focus on what he or she does best.

• Teamwork improves performance: Focusing on what you do best and not dealing with tasks that are beyond your skills or capabilities, you produce higher-quality work.

Benefits

• Teamwork builds competency: Collaboration leads to learning more and gaining a broader understanding.

• Teamwork builds trust: A strong team cultivates trust from top to bottom, maintains open lines of communication between all team members, and operates with transparency.

Benefits

• Teamwork reduces stress: Trying to do everything yourself can have negative consequences on your productivity, your mental and physical health. Therefore teamwork prevents burnout and helps you get much-needed time to unwind.

Benefits

• Teamwork allows management focus on the big picture: An organization can’t have success if its leaders are forced to spend hours daily dealing with inconsequential administrative or operational matters.

Benefits

• Teamwork leads to innovation: Most lasting innovations have multiple stages, starting with the creative process and moving through the development, refinement, execution, and revision phases.

• In the course of a project, there is room for input from many different individuals.

Benefits

• Teamwork impresses: Setting aside selfishness is a smart way to invest in your future.

• Having a reputation for strong teamwork skills can earn you jobs and promotions.

• Teamwork improves service: Sense of positive collaboration leads to a positive attitude and a strong sense of advocacy in favor of an organization.

ACADEMIC MENTORSHIP

MENTORSHIP

Definitions• Mentorship is a personal developmental

relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. The person in receipt of mentorship may be referred to as an apprentice or, in recent years, a mentee.

Definitions

• Mentoring may also be defined as a professional relationship in which an experienced person (the mentor) assists another (the mentee) in developing specific skills and knowledge that willenhance the less-experienced person’s professional and personal growth.

Models

One-On-One• The most common mentoring model,

which matches one mentor with one mentee.

• It allows personal relationship• It provides individual support for the

mentee.• Limited by availability of mentors.

Models

Resource-Based• Mentors and mentees are matched by a

Mentoring Program Manager.• It is up to the mentee to initiate the

process by asking a volunteer mentor among many for assistance.

• Limited by the possibility of mismatched mentor-mentee pairing.

Models

Group Mentoring• A mentor may work with 4-6 mentees at

one time. • The group meets once or twice a month

to discuss various topics.• It helps the group to learn about one

another and develop appropriate skills and knowledge.

Group mentoring

• Limited by the difficulty of regularly scheduling meetings for the entire group.

• Lacks the personal relationship that most people prefer in mentoring.

Models

Executive• A top-down model for creating a

mentoring culture and cultivating skills and knowledge throughout an organization.

• It is an effective succession-planning tool, because it prevents the knowledge "brain drain" that may result from retirement of senior colleagues.

Roles of a Mentor

• Teaches the mentee about a specific issue.

• Coaches the mentee on a particular skill.• Facilitates the mentee’s growth by

sharing resources and networks.• Challenges the mentee to move beyond

his or her comfort zone.

Roles of a Mentor

• Creates a safe learning environment for taking risks.

• Focuses on the mentee's total development.

• Use questioning techniques to facilitate the Mentee's own thought processes in order to identify solutions and actions

Roles of a Mentor

• Utilise active listening and communication skills to ensure the needs of the Mentee are being met within the mentoring relationship

• Share relevant academic experiences/problems you have overcome (if appropriate).

Roles of a Mentee

• Have a desire and ability to engage in the mentoring process

• Give the time and commitment to pursue their goals

• An understanding of the role and boundaries of the Mentor

• Being punctual and prepared for meetings

Roles of a Mentee

• Must respect the confidentiality of the relationship

• Mentees must take ownership of the mentoring process.

Clarifications

• Are mentoring and coaching identical?

The Answer !

• No.• They are only related, but not the same. • A mentor may coach, but a coach is not

a mentor.• Mentoring is “relational,” while

coaching is “functional.”

The Differences

• Coaching characteristics:– Managers coach all of their staff as a

required part of the job– Coaching takes place within the confines of

a formal manager-employee relationship– Focuses on developing individuals within

their current jobs

The Differences

– Interest is functional, arising out of the need to ensure that individuals can perform the tasks required to the best of their abilities

– Relationship tends to be initiated and driven by an individual’s manager

– Relationship is finite - ends as an individual transfers to another job

The Differences

• Mentoring characteristics:– Takes place outside of a line manager-

employee relationship, at the mutual consent of a mentor and the person being mentored

– Is career-focused or focuses on professional development that may be outside a mentee’s area of work

The Differences

– Relationship is personal - a mentor provides both professional and personal support

– Relationship may be initiated by a mentor or created through a match initiated by the organization

– Relationship crosses job boundaries

The Differences

– Relationship may last for a specific period of time (nine months to a year) in a formal program, at which point the pair may continue in an informal mentoring relationship

Benefits

• The Mentor:– Gains insights from the mentee’s

background and history that can be used in the mentor’s professional and personal development.

– Gains satisfaction in sharing expertise with others.

– Re-energizes the mentor’s career.

Benefits

– Gains an ally in promoting the organization’s well-being.

– Learns more about other areas within the organization.

Benefits

• The Mentee:– Gains from the mentor’s expertise– Receives critical feedback in key areas, such

as communications, interpersonal relationships, technical abilities, change management and leadership skills

– Develops a sharper focus on what is needed to grow professionally within the organization

Benefits

– Learns specific skills and knowledge that are relevant to personal goals

– Networks with a more influential employee– Gains knowledge about the organization’s

culture and unspoken rules that can be critical for success; as a result, adapts more quickly to the organization’s culture

– Has a friendly ear with which to share frustrations as well as successes.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

• The skills acquired from successfully managed group work will be of great use to our academic and future careers.

• The actual role of the faculty or staff mentor is one of nurturing and providing support for a student during the difficult transition period.

Concluding Remarks

• The mentor must also serve as a resource who will answer many questions, trivial or complex, that the student might pose.

• Most important, the mentor must serve as a positive role model.

• The Faculty/staff-student mentoring is also applicable to senior faculty/staff-junior colleague mentoring.

We Can Grow Together in the Agrarian Pursuit