Mentoring Philosophy
Introduction
I have been particularly fortunate in my experience as a mentee and hope to translate this into a successful mentoring experience. It is my goal to emulate the open door approachability and availability, integrity, leadership through example, advocacy, and support that my mentors have so generously provided for me.
Over the last 22 years, I have had the opportunity to contribute to the training of many other mentees with both good and growth worthy experiences. The best experiences I have had were those that were collaborative in nature, where both mentor and mentee have learned together. Thus our future growth and success in a mentoring capacity was mutually inclusive and interdependent. I sincerely endeavor to create a lab environment and training experience tailored to each mentee with overall growth of the laboratory as a whole in mind.
I like to foster an environment that is conducive to growth and learning through honest, open discussion of all goals both professional and personal. I believe that growth is best served by frequent constructive feedback, which is an important and crucial part of the training experience. Direct, frank discussions are encouraged in a reciprocal fashion. Success in this laboratory is determined not only by achievements, but also in how we manage our failures. And be assured, there will be failures if we are doing research properly. Many of the most significant discoveries in science were mistakes. These are the great opportunities that will allow us to explore and navigate the unknown together. I will be here to help guide and to advocate on the mentees behalf just as others have done and continue to do to help me.
Over the last 22 years, I have had the opportunity to contribute to the training of many other mentees with both good and growth worthy experiences. The best experiences I have had were those that were collaborative in nature, where both mentor and mentee have learned together. Thus our future growth and success in a mentoring capacity was mutually inclusive and interdependent. I sincerely endeavor to create a lab environment and training experience tailored to each mentee with overall growth of the laboratory as a whole in mind.
I like to foster an environment that is conducive to growth and learning through honest, open discussion of all goals both professional and personal. I believe that growth is best served by frequent constructive feedback, which is an important and crucial part of the training experience. Direct, frank discussions are encouraged in a reciprocal fashion. Success in this laboratory is determined not only by achievements, but also in how we manage our failures. And be assured, there will be failures if we are doing research properly. Many of the most significant discoveries in science were mistakes. These are the great opportunities that will allow us to explore and navigate the unknown together. I will be here to help guide and to advocate on the mentees behalf just as others have done and continue to do to help me.
Growth Mindset in Mentoring
Mentees with a growth mindset, as described by Dweck (Dweck, 2006), ultimately have more potential since they see every setback or failure as an opportunity to learn. Individuals with a fixed mindset can only advance when they learn to overcome the negative ties associated with setbacks and failures. While both can be successful, the fixed mindset mentee will have difficulty balancing failures and successes, an equilibrium essential to a career in the sciences. For example, as an early graduate student I often became frustrated when I invested hours in an experiment that failed. Over time and with guidance from my mentors, I developed a growth mindset, learning that this is the process of science; assessing the outcome then incorporating the discoveries of the failed hypothesis into the progression and the development of new hypotheses.
The mentoring relationship is the foundation of science. Each generation of scientists bring new perspectives to the equations, thus expanding the knowledge base. When this relationship is learner-focused (Zachary, 2011), then we move past dogma to increase both the mentor and mentees knowledge and skills. My goal as a mentor is to be a facilitator, not an authority. Through this approach I hope to shift mentees experience from passive receivers to active partners. From the mentee’s view, while obtaining the necessary training to advance their career path, they are also contributing a part to the mentor’s larger vision while expanding the training of the mentor. From the mentor’s standpoint, the mentor is responsible for providing opportunities for the mentee including a safe environment for exploration and self-discovery. The mentor provides the climate, resources, and wisdom of the field so that the mentee can grow. The mentee provides new perspective, diverse skills and background. Thus this paradigm creates a win-win situation for both parties.
The mentoring relationship is the foundation of science. Each generation of scientists bring new perspectives to the equations, thus expanding the knowledge base. When this relationship is learner-focused (Zachary, 2011), then we move past dogma to increase both the mentor and mentees knowledge and skills. My goal as a mentor is to be a facilitator, not an authority. Through this approach I hope to shift mentees experience from passive receivers to active partners. From the mentee’s view, while obtaining the necessary training to advance their career path, they are also contributing a part to the mentor’s larger vision while expanding the training of the mentor. From the mentor’s standpoint, the mentor is responsible for providing opportunities for the mentee including a safe environment for exploration and self-discovery. The mentor provides the climate, resources, and wisdom of the field so that the mentee can grow. The mentee provides new perspective, diverse skills and background. Thus this paradigm creates a win-win situation for both parties.
What kind of mentor do I want to be?
As a mentor, my objectives to help the mentee evolve are simple. I want to provide an environment for the mentee that uses an andragogical model (adult learning as compared to pedagogy) described by Knowles (Knowles, Holton III, & Swanson, 2005) and to incorporate a learner-centered approach in my mentoring (Zachary, 2011). As a mentee, I typically felt I was “driving the car” with my mentors navigational help. I believe it is important that the mentee feel involved in their training plan. The mentee should expect and be prepared to be a part of the planning how and what they will learn. This is a two-way street, where the mentor provides expectations of a project, but the mentee provides their expectations as well. The mentees, with some guidance, should be able to articulate their own learning objectives. What do you hope to gain from this experience? How will you incorporate the outcomes into your career growth? I hope to provide the mentee with a variety of new resources (tools, techniques, connections etc) to accomplish their training goals and in turn, I hope to learn of other new resources that I can learn from them. Finally, I believe that the most valuable learning tool is reflection on experiences. Every experience can be a learning opportunity.
I hope to create a lab environment that is like family that is inclusive, diverse, and emotionally intelligent (e.g. how to manage critiques, constructive feedback). There are several factors that can cause affect how a mentee fits in with a laboratory. I think it is essential to the training experience to incorporate laboratory management skills including working with different personality types (e.g. conflict management), learning-through-diversity (e.g. micro-aggressions, gender bias, cultural diversity) (Barthelemy, McCormick, & Henderson, 2014), and how to navigate a multigenerational workforce (Hannay & Fretwell, 2011; Merriweather & Morgan, 2013). Our diversity adds to the richness and value of our science.
As a mentee and mentor I have experienced all four levels of the relational phases described by Kram (Kram, 1983). I believe it is essential for mentees to know these phases to develop realistic expectations of what they can expect as the mentoring relationship progresses. Phase 1 (Initiation) is an easy step because we all think we know what we want to get out of mentoring relationships. Most of my relationships have lived up to expectations but others have been less satisfying. Phase 2 (cultivation phase) is the “reality check” phase. This is where we realistically begin to view the mentoring relationship so we can reap all the benefits while understanding the limitations. During this phase, we are both focused on compatible growth. The 3rd phase (separation) is a natural part of the mentoring experience and one we should embrace. This is the ultimate goal of a mentoring relationship and will provide us with a sense of accomplishment, as we grow more independent. I am delighted when mentees exceed my ability and make significant contributions in their own ways. In the final phase (re-definition) we will reevaluate our relationship and make new goals. It is my goal to try to continue as colleagues with as many mentors and mentees in my career as possible. In this phase we are no longer reliant on one another as mentor/mentee but are peers capable of pursing our own paths.
I hope to create a lab environment that is like family that is inclusive, diverse, and emotionally intelligent (e.g. how to manage critiques, constructive feedback). There are several factors that can cause affect how a mentee fits in with a laboratory. I think it is essential to the training experience to incorporate laboratory management skills including working with different personality types (e.g. conflict management), learning-through-diversity (e.g. micro-aggressions, gender bias, cultural diversity) (Barthelemy, McCormick, & Henderson, 2014), and how to navigate a multigenerational workforce (Hannay & Fretwell, 2011; Merriweather & Morgan, 2013). Our diversity adds to the richness and value of our science.
As a mentee and mentor I have experienced all four levels of the relational phases described by Kram (Kram, 1983). I believe it is essential for mentees to know these phases to develop realistic expectations of what they can expect as the mentoring relationship progresses. Phase 1 (Initiation) is an easy step because we all think we know what we want to get out of mentoring relationships. Most of my relationships have lived up to expectations but others have been less satisfying. Phase 2 (cultivation phase) is the “reality check” phase. This is where we realistically begin to view the mentoring relationship so we can reap all the benefits while understanding the limitations. During this phase, we are both focused on compatible growth. The 3rd phase (separation) is a natural part of the mentoring experience and one we should embrace. This is the ultimate goal of a mentoring relationship and will provide us with a sense of accomplishment, as we grow more independent. I am delighted when mentees exceed my ability and make significant contributions in their own ways. In the final phase (re-definition) we will reevaluate our relationship and make new goals. It is my goal to try to continue as colleagues with as many mentors and mentees in my career as possible. In this phase we are no longer reliant on one another as mentor/mentee but are peers capable of pursing our own paths.
Summary
I believe that the concept of adult learning is essential to the mentee’s career growth (Knowles et al., 2005). It is my responsibility to provide a guiding, yet challenging environment to foster the mentees intellectual and professional development. It is my goal that the mentee develop the ability to work independently with occasional help from me. However, the balance between independence and training varies with each mentee and each mentee will achieve this goal in their own time and way. I want to create a growth minded environment for the mentee/mentor relationships.
References
Barthelemy, R. S., McCormick, M., & Henderson, C. (2014). Understanding Women’s Gendered Experiences in Physics and Astronomy Through Microaggressions. Paper presented at the PERC Proceedings.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballantine Books.
Hannay, M., & Fretwell, C. (2011). The higher education workplace: meeting the needs of multiple generations. Research in Higher Education Journal, 10(March), 1-12.
Knowles, M. S., Holton III, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2005). The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development: Elsevier.
Kram, K. E. (1983). Phases of the Mentor Relationship. Academy of Managment Journal, 26(4), 608-625.
Merriweather, L. R., & Morgan, A. J. (2013). Two Cultures Collide: Bridging the Generation Gap in a Non-Traditional Mentorship. The Qualitative Report, 18, 1-16.
Zachary, L. J. (2011). The Mentors Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballantine Books.
Hannay, M., & Fretwell, C. (2011). The higher education workplace: meeting the needs of multiple generations. Research in Higher Education Journal, 10(March), 1-12.
Knowles, M. S., Holton III, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2005). The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development: Elsevier.
Kram, K. E. (1983). Phases of the Mentor Relationship. Academy of Managment Journal, 26(4), 608-625.
Merriweather, L. R., & Morgan, A. J. (2013). Two Cultures Collide: Bridging the Generation Gap in a Non-Traditional Mentorship. The Qualitative Report, 18, 1-16.
Zachary, L. J. (2011). The Mentors Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.