Sponsored by the Baylor–UTHouston Center for AIDS Research Dorothy E. Lewis, Ph.D.

Sponsored by the BaylorUTHouston Center for AIDS Research Dorothy E. Lewis, Ph.D.

What does each party need/expect?

Importance of Mentoring Advice from someone who has been there Advice about how to approach problems and technical issues Advice from someone in the same boat as you

Rowing your own boat can be satisfyingbut also lonely

What Is a Mentor? Mentor was a friend of Odysseus charged with educating his son Odysseus trusted Mentora big part of mentoring is establishing trust Mentor was a tutor, an educator who imparted knowledge important to create a new leader

Types of Mentors Mentor as in Odysseusa direct teacher Mentor who advises about career Mentor in the same boat ALL ALL are important for success

Responsibilities of the Mentor Find out what the mentee needs Find out what the mentee wants, ie, big plans Find out how you as a mentor can help

What the Mentor Is Not A Best Friend Forever. Friendship can develop but the relationship is not really about friendship, ie, your parents are not really your friends Someone who does the work for youthe onus is on the mentee Someone who solves all problemsthe mentor offers advice but is NOT a fixer Rather, the mentor offers guidance, teaching, tutoring, and nudging in a successful direction

Is There Only One Direction? Wise mentors know that there are many useful directions in lifeAND its not YOUR life, its theirs Think of the parenting exampleYou want the best for your children, but its THEIR life

Inspiration Instruction does much, but encouragement does everything Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

More Advice for Mentoring Best mentors push you out of your comfort zone. My high school history teacher required special projects of methat made me think about new worlds Mentors offer a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a gentle push in the right direction

Aspects of the Mentoring Relationship Mentoringfocus is on individual learners Coachingfocus is on a specific question or skill Counselinga part of mentoring but focused on the big picture, ie, where to go in life

Core Features of Mentors Coach Counselor Teacher Role model Cheerleader

Coach Ever had a coach teach you how to play a sport, how to be a teammate? Wisdom and technique are imparted, but the player has to practice and get betteralso true in music instruction

Counselor Ever sought advice about a tough problema direction to take that is the wisest? A counselor is different from a coachinformation could be quite specific or quite general, but does not usually involve HOW to do somethingmore HOW to get there

Teacher Ever had a great teacher? What did they do that was special? I learned how to teach from a great teacher I had in graduate school Someone to learn specific information froma technique, a skill, a thought process We are all teachers, as we are all learners

Mentor as Role Model I always saw people doing something I wanted to do and tried to emulate them Charles Barkley always said he did not want to be a role model, ie, someone to look up to and emulate However, if you are good at something and recognized as suchthe role model title follows

Cheerleader Who is your biggest cheerleader? My mom was my biggest cheerleader (not a coach, directing my every move). She was more on the sidelines, encouraging me to go forward My husband is now my biggest cheerleader

What is a good strategy?

The Mentor Asks: Whats in It for Me? To help is the reward To see advancement in the mentee To leave something tangible behind Why do you help your own children? What do you get back? Sure, you love them, but there is another component.

Five Questions for Mentors to Pose What is it that you really want to be and do? What are you doing that is helping you get there? What are you not doing well that hinders your progress? What will you do differently tomorrow to meet those challenges? How can I help and where do you need the most help?

MentorsCritical but not Skeptical Mentees are sharing their ideasa part of themselves. So, it is important to listen and think about their ideas before you criticize with a sharp knife. Try to think about their ideas in positive terms, not negative terms. Try to remember: The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt

The Highs and Lows of Research The lesson to impart, especially in these trying times, is that self awareness trumps allthat is, it is hugely important to know your strengths and weaknesses A mentor can help a mentee with self-awareness crucial for success in science (or anything)

Specific Tasks for Mentors Develop a written training program for a mentee fellowship applicationif you need help with this, CFAR can provide Individual Development Plans are all the rage and are likely to be required in the future Document your previous/current training recordif you have it all written down, it is easier to retrieve Write letters of recommendation for the mentee and other services, ie, reading grants, etc.

Specifics for Mentors Establish a time to meetan hour is good Timing of meeting could be as often as weekly or only monthly, depending on what is needed. MORE TIME = MORE SUCCESS!!!! Limit the number of menteestwo is a good number Set up a contract that establishes expectations Each mentee is unique and requires individual advice Goal is to get the mentee to become more self aware

Specifics for Mentors Our own CFAR data indicate that those mentees who spent the MOST time with their mentors were more successful in getting Developmental awards than those who spent less time with their mentors. Successful applicants spent an average of 510 hrs BEFORE the application was due compared to unsuccessful applicants who only spent an average of 12 hrs with their mentors.

Time Is Money!!! Spend time with your mentees and they are more likely to be funded!!!!!!

What do I need? What to expect.

Do I Really Need a Mentor? Actually, we all do at many stages of life, for different reasons and purposes Mentors can make all the difference in the directions you take and what you learn along the way This requires that you look inward!

What Do You Need Advice About? How to write and get grants How to run a lab How to prioritize things I am expected to do How to define expectations of myself/others

Make a List/Organize Your Thoughts Write down your key strengths Write down your weak areas If your weaknesses hold you back, make a plan to improve Mentors can help with many aspects of this process

What Are Your Strengths? Writing? Generating/interpreting data? Analysis of data/presenting data? Organizing your time? Try to find ways to take advantage of your strengthsa mentor can help with this

What Are Your Weaknesses? Time management People skills How to prioritize How to say no Whatever your weaknesses are, you need to be straight with yourselfwhat you can change/improve and what you cannot change

Mentee Responsibilities To show up and participate in your own improvement To do the workdont expect the mentor to do this To benefit from the help, you must help yourself

The Relationship Can Work! Mentors can help new scientists be more successful or decide what is really best for them Mentees gain from advice on various aspects of career developmentdont have to go it alone

CFAR Specifics for Mentees Work with mentor to develop research project, including goals and timelines Include a mentor letter describing the mentors role If successful, critiques should be carefully read and changes made in design, etc. All ethical standards should be met Regular feedback/interaction with mentor is required at monthly intervals (at least)

Specifics for MenteesTIME Spent Produces Results!!!!! Our own CFAR data show that the more time you spend with your mentor, the more likely you are to get a Developmental awardso do the time! If the mentoring is NOT working, let us knowwe can help!!!! Both BEFORE and AFTER the grant is turned in.

CFAR Specifics for Mentees Formal bi-yearly assessments with mentor Discussion of how research will be disseminated/published Realize the responsibilities of lifelong learning Seek career development opportunities outside the laboratory Follow institutional rules regarding research materials and their ownership

CFAR Specifics for Mentees If application is not funded, read the critiques to determine strengths and weaknesses Address the critiques of current proposal or come up with new area Seek career direction advice from mentor or others, including peers

CFAR Specifics for Mentors Meet with mentee to plan the CFAR applicationthe mentor should contribute ideas, critique experiments and writing, and generally inspect research design. This is likely to be an iterative process. The details of involvement will be included in a letter that accompanies the application. If the applicant is successful, assist the mentee in understanding the critiques to improve the plan for the work supported by the CFAR.

CFAR Expectations of Mentors Meet with mentee to establish goals/expectations and help with a career development plan Build a solid relationship with mentee based on trust Promote ethical standards Seek other help for mentee when necessary and encourage interactions Provide individual training environment that fosters mentees independence Help with publication submission

CFAR Specifics for Mentors If application is not funded, meet with mentee to discuss critique and plans to address it If not fixable, advise on future career path/direction Seek additional advisors for mentee if necessary CFAR mentoring can help with this

Life Is Better with Mentors We all need mentors at various stages in our lives Mentees can become better scientists and better people with an effective mentorTIME spent is a key variable that leads to success!!!! Successful mentoring has reciprocity, mutual respect, clear expectations, personal connection, and shared values

Sponsored by the Baylor–UTHouston Center for AIDS Research Dorothy E. Lewis, Ph.D.

Documents

Transcript of Sponsored by the Baylor–UTHouston Center for AIDS Research Dorothy E. Lewis, Ph.D.