How to align yourself with the right mentors and become a mentor yourself. Who was Mentor? Who is a mentor? 10/15/2013. What does mentoring entail?

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1 Disclosures I have no relevant financial relationships to disclose as it pertains to the content of my presentation. How to align yourself with the right mentors and become a mentor yourself Julie Ann Sosa MA MD Professor of Surgery and Medicine (Oncology) Duke University School of Medicine Durham, NC What does mentoring entail? Who was Mentor? In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Heracles. He was placed in charge of taking care of Telemachus, Odysseus son. Athena disguised herself as Mentor and advised young Telemachus on many matters. National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the IOM consensus statement: Mentoring is a personal and professional dyadic relationship between a more experienced or senior person (mentor) and a less experienced or junior person (mentee). Who is a mentor? Someone who imparts wisdom to, or shares knowledge with, a less experienced colleague 1

2 What is mentoring today? Been there, done that Primary purpose is growth of the mentee. A good mentor can help to: Set and achieve career goals Provide sage advice regarding tough decisions Overcome workplace problems Establish a network of professional connections Offer an outside perspective when there are frustrations at work Provide opportunities Advocate and promote Mentors are not a panacea You are who you are! Mentors can shape, help and promote you, but you are responsible for your own success or failure. Types of mentorships INFORMAL: Trainee or junior faculty member finds senior faculty based on common interests, abilities, work relationship, or happenstance. These relationships often are the most rewarding and long-lived. ASSIGNED: Programs, departments, or other bodies attempt to ensure all individuals have designated mentors. Mentorship committees DESIGNED: An individual who requires mentorship seeks out mutually useful relationships with advisors inside and outside their own institution and field. These may be virtual, electronic, intermittent. A good mentor is someone who: You respect and has had professional success that you emulate You like on a personal level Has good interpersonal skills Has a track record of helping juniors grow and become independent Has time You trust 2

3 Good mentors are generous Generosity of: Time Expertise Credit Support Selflessness Tough love Provide constructive criticism Know mentee well enough to see possibilities the mentee cannot yet see. Why mentor? Belief in the person you are helping and wanting to see him or her succeed Leaving a legacy in a mentee Mentoring is considered an essential duty of academic surgeons, and is evaluated for promotion. The mentee Choosing the right mentor: Understand what is needed and expected from the mentor. Insight comes from introspection. Actively recruit or solicit help choosing a mentor; assignments often don t work. Interview several potential mentors. May even experiment with several mentors for the right fit. Research mentor s track record. The mentee Understand responsibilities Be respectful of the mentor s time and effort. Bring enthusiasm and hard work. Always show up for meetings. Communicate! Be fair, honest, speak up. If the relationship feels artificial, change it. Recognition and appreciation for your mentor Have several mentors Local vs remote Research vs clinical In your specialty and outside of it 3

4 A good mentoring relationship Needs connectedness. Builds on mutual trust, respect and confidentiality Some personal chemistry should develop over time. Commitment and effort on the part of both the mentee and the mentor PITFALLS Beware of power differentials. Mentee may be vulnerable. Insecure mentors could become competitive with mentee. The mentoring relationship Sharing interests and expertise is good, but not essential. Mentoring relationships change over time. Some may fade, people grow apart. Parting should be communicated, so that the relationship does not become dysfunctional. Mentee becomes colleague. This should be celebrated, not resisted. My mentors You can t help someone get up a hill without getting closer to the top yourself. Neil Powe, MD MPH MBA (nephrologist, health services researcher) and William G Bowen, PhD (labor economist); Rob Udelsman, MD MBA (surgeon) -Gen H Norman Schwarzkopf 4

5 Mentorship in trouble Personal boundaries should never be crossed. If relationship feels inappropriate, this needs to be immediately discussed in a safe environment. Involve a more senior, respected person for advice. If the relationship is to be severed, do so expeditiously. 5