Mentee Toolbox

Introductory Information

A firm commitment to the mentoring process and a willingness to invest time and energy are the most important components for a successful relationship. An important factor in any mentoring relationship is an awareness and understanding by both the mentor and mentee of their roles and responsibilities at the beginning of the relationship. Below are some general suggestions to help mentors and mentees establish the mentoring relationship. Since each relationship is unique, we offer only guidelines.  You may want to review these together with your mentor to help you decide which you both think are important in your specific relationship. The mentor/mentee pair should agree to a no-fault conclusion of the relationship if ether party thinks that the intended goal is not being achieved.  If the committment to mentoring ends, other matchs can be found. A good relationship requires mutual benefit, trust and respect, and a sense of accomplishment. 

Expectations 

  • Take responsibility to set a meeting with you mentor. 
  • Meet with each other to determine whether it is a good match. 
  • Attend an introductory session and a final celebration of the year. 
  • Work out a meeting schedule that works for both of you.  
  • Set goals with your mentor. 
  • Be proactive: Let your mentor know if something is not working or if you need help. 
  • Plan and agree upon a focused experience that will enhance your growth and development.  Examples of these include a paper, small grant proposal, a presentation, or a course syllabus. 

Tips for Working Together 

  • Exchange curricula vitae before the first meeting. 
  • Mentee can use his/her goals for the upcoming year as well as more long-term goals, as a starting point for discussion. 
  • Communicate through phone and e-mail.  However, it's also important to set face-to-face meetings. 

Information for Mentees 

Why be Mentored? 

  • You benefit from the experience of a senior faculty member who can assist you in the transition to academic life.  
  • You have an opportunity to discuss balancing clinical work, research, teaching, service, committee work, and personal life. 
  • You receive assistance in finding institutional resources. 
  • You receive support and encouragement. 

Some Responsibilities of the Mentee 

  • Take considerable responsibility for making the relationship work. 
  • Arrange regular meetings. 
  • Set the agendas. This should also include setting goals and objectives as well as identifying and bringing any difficulties to meetings for discussion. 
  • Process the feedback. 

Tips for the Mentee 

  • Commit to making the relationship a priority.  You will get out of it as much as you put into it. 
  • Discuss with your mentor your goals and objectives for the relationship.   Be clear about what you want. 
  • Ask for advice and welcome constructive feedback. Oftentimes people are hesitant to offer advice when they do not know you well. Be as specific as possible when asking for advice. A good mentor will offer both constructive feedback and suggestions for your work, so be open to both. 
  • Be considerate of your mentor's time. Though you can expect quality time from mentors, you also need to be considerate of their time. Ask how much time your mentor has to spend with you and abide by that request. Accept challenges from your Mentor.  This helps you to grow. 
  • Listen to what your mentor has to say. Mentors, having been there, have some perspective on what you’ll be facing in your future career. Although sometimes their advice may seem less relevant to you at the moment, it may be useful in the future. 
  • Be open to feedback.  Seriously consider the advice given to you by your mentor, even if your immediate reaction is not positive. A mentor seldom offers advice or criticism lightly. It’s very reasonable to ask for time to consider their advice and then get back to them with your reaction and process it with them. 
  • Provide feedback to your mentor about his/her effectiveness and any concerns you may have. 
  • Express appreciation for the time and assistance given to you by your mentor. Mentors need encouragement too, and constructive feedback will help your mentor guide you in the most effective way. Let them know how their advice worked in your situation. 
  • Keep the door open with your mentor. You never know when you may need his or her advice or assistance at some point in the future. When the formal mentoring relationship is no longer needed, consider staying in touch to provide "progress" reports. 
  • If, after a period of time, you don't believe that either you or your mentor are able to participate in an effective mentoring relationship, don't be adverse to discussing this with your mentor and possibly ending the relationship. If this occurs, we can place you with a different mentor who may be a better match. If the relationship does end, if at all possible, try to end it on professional terms. It is no reflection on either of you if a particular match does not work. 

Potential Limitations of a Mentoring Relationship 

  • Limited Time – Take advantage of email, fax, telephone, etc., as ways of staying in touch. Email especially allows for relatively short but more frequent contact. 
  • Lack of Knowledge/Skills  - After a senior colleague has accepted a role as a mentor, he or she may discover that there is not the common ground between the two of you that was expected or that you want assistance in an area in which the mentor does not feel particularly competent to advise. In this situation, the mentor can either contact someone else or assist you in locating others whose expertise may be more helpful for your specific needs. The mentee should be encouraged to be open to taking the initiative to find another person to obtain a different point-of-view in a particular area. 
  • Over-dependence  - Over-dependence can go in either direction in a mentoring relationship. However, it is not wise for a mentee to become over-dependent on his/her mentor. It is helpful for mentors to encourage their mentees to have several mentors. 
  • Personality/Learning Style Mismatch  - If there is a mismatch, then don't stay with the match.  If you're not sure, contact Dr. Susan Pasquale to seek input.

Bibliography

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