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Tips for Effective Mentoring

Karen Mann, PhD Division of Medical Education Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University

Canadian Association of Physician Assistants ConferenceOctober 25, 2014, Halifax NS.

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Objectives for Today

Learners will be able to:

Discuss the role and functions of mentors

Discuss what is known about effective mentors and mentoring relationships

Consider how current knowledge can be applied in their own settings

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Why Mentoring?

“If mentors did not exist, we would have to invent them. Indeed, we do so from childhood on. They come in an array of forms, from the grandmotherly fairy godmother to the elfin Yoda to the classic bearded Merlin. Myths, fairy tales, fantasy, and children’s stories abound with mentor figures: the spider woman in Native American lore, Gandalf in Tolkien, Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web, Shazam in Captain Marvel comics, the little old lady in Babar, Tiresias in Greek legend, and the Skin Horse in The Veleteen Rabbit.”

(Laurent Daloz, 1999)

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Activity: Qualities of a Mentor

What do mentors do?

What qualities/skills do mentors need?

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Coaching, Mentoring and Supervision

Coaching: developing individual capabilities and potential to unlock performance and achieve personal and/or organisational goals

Mentoring: providing guidance, support and sometimes advice for the benefit of the mentee to help make transition or change or to assist professional development

Supervision (professional, clinical or educational): overseeing performance, giving feedback and supporting professional development

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Mentoring: Benefits for Mentees

Improved performance and productivity

Career opportunities and advancement

Improved knowledge and skills

Greater confidence and wellbeing

(Garvey and Garrett-Harris, 2005)

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Mentoring Benefits All

Mentees: networking, negotiation skills, conflict management, academic writing, presentation skills, shaping their professional identity, planning their career path

Mentors: satisfaction derived from the mentee’s development process, sharing of experiences and learning with junior colleagues, becoming part of a support network

Organization: mentees develop personally and feel valued resulting in their providing better patient care.

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Questions about Mentoring

What does the literature tell us about mentors?

What are the conditions for a successful relationship?

Do we need more than one mentor?

How can the mentor facilitate achievement of our goals?

Mentoring relationships

“A mentoring relationship is one that may vary along a continuum from informal/short-term to formal/long-term in which faculty with useful experience, knowledge, skills, and/or wisdom offers advice, information, guidance, support, or opportunity to another faculty member or student for that individual’s professional development.’’

Dreissen and Overeem,2013, p. 265

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Mentoring relationships

Coaching and mentoring are learning relationships which help people to take charge of their own development , to release their potential, and to achieve results which they value. (Connor and Pokora, 2012)

Relationships are reciprocal, dynamic and collaborative

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Mentors May Be…

Facilitator

Coach

Counsellor

Critical friend

Sounding board, networker

Role model

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Mentors

Advise on career goals Assist with basic essentials Provide orientation Provide context Provide practical feedback and Look out for the mentee Assist mentees to become part of the

community

Age and ‘speaking the same language’ may be helpful.

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Mentoring

Consider your own mentoring experience (as mentor or mentee)

What made it effective or ineffective?

For you

For the other person

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Features of Effective Mentors

Knowledgeable and respected in their role Responsive and available Interested in the relationship Knowledgeable about mentee’s capabilities

and potential Motivating of mentees Advocating for mentees Able to provide critical feedback

(Ramani et al., 2006)

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Tips for Mentoring

Listen

Spend time on the relationship

Understand the mentor role

Set boundaries

Provide focus

Help to establish support networks

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Informal Mentoring

Peer mentoring and co-mentoring

Working in groups

Mentoring communities

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Functional Mentors

A individual with particular needs is matched with a mentor with the specific expertise required.

Mentoring is project-focused, but may last longer

A mentor may be in your workplace ,faculty, institution or professional community

Others may help in identifying potential mentors

More than one mentor is possible

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A Critical Friend

“a trusted person who asks provocative questions, provides data to be examined through another lens, and offers critique of a person’s work as a friend”

(Costa and Kallick, 1993; p. 50).

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Finding a ‘Critical Friend’

A critical friend can serve many purposes:

Holding up a mirror

Helping to discuss options and strategies

Providing feedback, and helping in interpreting feedback

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Mentoring

Mentors need mentoring, too

(Ramani et al., 2006)

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Developing Mentors

How should effective mentors be developed? (Ramani et al., 2006)

Mentors need clear expectations of roles and enhanced listening and feedback skills

Faculty development – practical experience

(Bussey-Jones et al., 2006)

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Mentors Need

Awareness (and understanding of their own personal biases) of gender and culture as they affect: Finding a mentor

Relationship dynamics (Ramani et al., 2006; Gail et al., 2005)

To balance support and challenge Challenge, support and have a vision of the

mentee's future (Ramani et al., 2006)

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Mentors Need (cont’d)

A forum to express their uncertainties and problems: Support to resolve challenging relationships

(Ramani et al., 2006)

Protected time and recognition: Highlight mentoring Rewards (Ramani et al., 2006)

Support: Should not be expected to tackle personal

problems or psychological problems

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Becoming Part of the Community

How can we as mentors help new colleagues to be part of the community?

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Summary

Mentoring has benefits for all of those involved

The mentor-mentee relationship is essential to successful mentoring

Mentoring can take many forms Both mentors and mentees need

support

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Your thoughts or questions?

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References

Buddeberg-Fischer B, et al. Formal mentoring programmes for medical students and doctors – a review of the Medline literature. Medical Teacher 2006; 28(3): 248-257.

Bussey-Jones J, et al. Repaving the Road to Academic Success: The IMeRGE Approach to Peer Mentoring. Academic Medicine 2006; 81(7): 674-679.

Connor M, Pokora J. Coaching and Mentoring at work: Developing Effective Practice. (2nd edition) Maidenhead UK: Open University Press. 2012

Dreissen E,& Overeem K. Mentoring. In Walsh K (ed.) The Oxford Textbook of Medical Education. Oxford UK:Oxford University Press. 2013 pp 265-274

Garvey B and Garrett-Harris B. The benefits of mentoring: a literature review. The Mentoring and Coaching Research Unit, Sheffield Hallam University. 2005

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References

Ramani S, et al. Twelve tips for developing effective mentors. Medical Teacher 2006; 28(5): 404-408.

Rose G, et al. Informal mentoring between faculty and medical students. Academic Medicine 2005; 80(4): 344

Sambunjak D, et al. Mentoring in academic medicine: a systematic review. JAMA 2006; 296(9): 1103-1115.

Sketris I, et al. Mentoring Resource Book – A Guide for Faculty, Researchers and Decision Makers. Halifax NS: College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University, 2003.