Mentoring: Becoming One to Find One or, Finding One to

Become One

Gregory L. Kearns, Pharm.D., Ph.D.Chairman, Department of Medical Research

Associate Chairman, Department of PediatricsChief, Division of Pediatric Pharmacology and Medical

Toxicology

Dr. Samuel Lux on Receiving the ASH Mentor Award……

What does this award mean to you?

This award means more to me than any other I’ve received. (It) reflects not only my success, but the success of the many men and women I’ve had the chance to work with over my career……

That’s the unique joy of mentoring. You gain pleasure from the success of others…..

You can recognize the successful mentor because they can’t help bragging about their proteges.

Dr. Samuel Lux on Receiving the ASH Mentor Award……

How important is mentoring for trainees?

I think it is vital. I suppose it’s possible to forge a successfulcareer on your own but it is surely harder, and I would betless fun.

Most of us owe a large measure of our success to the effortsof others. Certainly, I do.

My success is due in large measure to (my mentor’s) unflagging attention to my career.

What the mentee initially expects….

• To be told…– Where to be– When to be where– What to do– How to do it– How to act– How to talk– What to think– How to succeed

What the (inexperienced) mentor first expects from his/her

mentee……• Superior intellect• Well developed

sense of self• Maturity (personal

and professional)• Excellent

communication skills• Self-determination• Self-direction• Synthetic reasoning• Pre-identified career

goals

The mentor should be able to….

• Manage learning experiences in the workplace for the mentee

• Manage the development of the relationship with the mentee

• Recognize and assist with appropriate learning strategies for the individual workplace and mentee

• Facilitate learning • Invest time and effort in the mentee and

program• Maintain regular contact with the mentee

Mentors should also know..

• Different learning processes that a learner may use

• How workplace environments affect learning

• How mentoring can affect workplace learning

• Guided learning strategies and techniques

• Good communication skills• Good counseling skills• Outcomes expected of the

mentee in a learning program

• Subject matter expertise• The value of sensitivity

A great mentor is…..

• Advocate• Coach• Teacher• Guide• Role Model• Valued friend• Door opener• Benevolent

authority• Available Resource• Cheerful critic• Career enthusiast

Characteristics of a Good Protégé….

• Be self-motivated• Be pliable in your

thinking• Exhibit a desire to

learn and develop• Be a team player and

recognize that there is not an “I” in TEAM

• Be dedicated to developing communication skills

• Let your actions model the success you aspire to

Roles and Responsibilities of the

Protégé…

• Identifying and assessing priorities and mentoring expectations

• Doing a self-assessment of skills they have and the ones they desire

• Clarifying and defining goals that are realistic and challenging

• Developing a mutually approved agreement on expectations

• Being open and receptive to guidance and coaching

• Being honest with the mentor• Keeping the mentor informed of

changes in needs/expectations• Accepting the reality that needs

and expectations change with growth

• Accept accountability and responsibility for actions

Mentor Selection – Multiple Choices…. • Accomplishment vs.

Acclaim• Expertise vs. Experience• Personality vs. Persona• Respected vs.

Respectable• Evidence of –

– A learned teacher– An active learner– A doer– An excellent communicator– Effective leadership– Scholarly productivity– Uncompromised integrityIT’S A DIFFICULT BUT CRITICALIT’S A DIFFICULT BUT CRITICAL

CHOICECHOICE

Dr. Samuel Lux on Receiving the ASH Mentor Award……

What advice would you give others about mentoring?

First, be a friend and an interested colleague of yourmentees – someone they can come to whenever theydo something interesting.

Second, focus on their strengths – emphasize those in career choices. Make them shoot high and do high qualitywork, but be a cheerful and constructive critic.

Third, be their advocate in getting important trips, talks,session chairmanships, and the other little plums ofacademic life.

Dr. Samuel Lux on Receiving the ASH Mentor Award……

What advice would you give others about mentoring?

Fourth, protect their time but make sure they take onresponsibilities that are necessary for the careers they Desire.

Fifth, don’t try to make them a clone of yourself. This is,I think, one of the biggest mistakes.

Sixth, stick with them. Being a mentor is a lifetime responsibility, even after they move on to otherinstitutions.

Mentoring requires..

• Mutual trust, developed as a result of mutual respect

• Commitment to growth and discovery through support and challenge

• Openness to give and receive help and feedback

• Commitment to action and results, the ability to make it happen

What’s in it for the mentor?

• Enhanced self esteem• Enhanced status in the

organization• Career advancement• Job enrichment• Motivation• Recognition as a

developer of people• Re-kindled interest and

motivation in work• Close relationship with

the mentee• Own developmental

needs met• Extra resource (the

mentee)

For it to work………

The mentor and mentee must both work at it!The mentor and mentee must both work at it!

Never, never, never, never give up.

Winston Churchill