Making the Most of Mentoring Relationships Mary E Aitken, MD MPH UAMS Department of Pediatrics Taren Swindle, PhD UAMS Department of Family and Preventive Medicine

Background on Mentoring Long history of “on the job” mentoring “Pygmalion model” of single mentor no longer feasible or effective to meet mentee needs Newer models include goals of improving: Communication skills Professional skills to increase likelihood of success such as grant writing, management, teaching Increasing diversity in science

Mentor Training Entering Mentoring curricula developed and tested in Wisconsin Disseminated through National Research Mentoring Network Focus on mentors developing skills to engage in more productive mentor/mentee relationships Mentor training for different research environments, topics, populations

Mentor Training Outcomes Randomized controlled trial of mentor/mentee pairs from 16 institutions Training results: Significantly higher skills across 6 competencies addressed in the training Changes in mentoring behavior after training (97% vs 53% of controls) Significantly higher observed changes by mentees (44% saw 2 or more positive changes) 90% would recommend training Pfund C, et al. Training mentors of clinical and translational research scholars: a randomized controlled trial. Acad Med. 2014;89(5):774-782.

Phases of Mentor/Mentee Relationship Selection Individual Development Plans Assessing fit Building a mentoring team Alignment Common roles and expectations Mentoring compacts Cultivation Fostering independence Effective communication strategies Assessing the mentoring relationship Closure Preparing for the end from the beginning Strategies for transitioning

Phases of Mentor/Mentee Relationship Selection—Mentor Roles Understand your motivation to be a mentor Ensure you have the time and resources to be a mentor Have a realistic assessment of your skills and leadership experience; consider team mentoring Commit to training to be a more effective mentor https://mentoringresources.ictr.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/AssessingFitChecklist.pdf

Phases of Mentor/Mentee Relationship Selection—Mentee Roles Have a clear understanding of your motivation to be mentored Select a mentor based on pre-established criteria relevant to your career goals Broaden your search for multiple mentors to include faculty outside your department Take the initiative

Individual Development Plans Roadmap for your career Examples: https://mentoringresources.ictr.wisc.edu/MentorIDPTemplates https://tri.uams.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2017/10/IDP-Questionnaire-2017.pdf https://tri.uams.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2017/10/KL2-IDP-Goals-Table.pdf

Phases of Mentor/Mentee Relationship Alignment—Mentor Roles Listen carefully to mentee’s goals Assess areas of strength and growth Clarify resources (physical, financial, personal) Understand and convey institutional expectations and norms (written and unwritten) Communicate personal expectations (verbally and in writing) Be flexible Dedicate time to mentorship role (within reason) https://mentoringresources.ictr.wisc.edu/ExampleMentoringCompacts

Phases of Mentor/Mentee Relationship Alignment—Mentee Roles Have a clear understanding of your goals and the role/resources you want your mentor to play/provide Be prepared to clearly communicate your expectations and listen to the expectations of your mentor(s) Be flexible and willing to alter your expectations and change plans Inform your mentor of your preferred learning style

Setting Expectations: Mentor Perspective Balance required between mentee stage, environment, and resources Opportunities to set goals and avoid potential conflicts Publications Shared laboratory or other resources Timelines (for products, independence, support) Competing responsibilities

Setting Expectations: Mentee Perspective Role clarity of mentoring team Communication preferences Meeting parameters ASK - How can you make their job easier? Timeline and format for feedback. Alignment Role clarity on the front of my K01 (talk about navigating transitions in mentor roles) Designate primary Designate roles of others – content expertise, career planning, methods consultant Communication preferences Set and respect boundaries. What to email versus save for meetings When ok to call You want your mentor to be glad to hear from you – never overburdened. Important to learn their styles more than force yours on them. They work across so many mentees! Ask how things are working for them Meeting frequency, length, cancellations, goals How to make their job easier? Example = writing quality. Always send my (important) writing to SciCom before mentors give feedback on content. Be self-aware of your strengths and needs. Communicate these and be open and active to address. Take ownership!! Be coachable. This is your career, not your mentors! Your enthusiasm and dedication will always be a limiting factor of the success of the relationship. Timeline and format for feedback. Feedback is the most important think you get from a mentor NEVER miss a deadline to a mentor. You may have just missed the one window you had on their calendar. Plan backwards to give reasonable time. I do 2 weeks (at least). Need written for grants/manuscripts. Verbal for aims, study design issues. .

Phases of Mentor/Mentee Relationship Cultivation—Mentor Roles Advise on what you know; refer to others when you don’t Provide relevant examples and resources Give constructive feedback Don't shy away from difficult conversations Respond to changing needs of your mentee Celebrate successes Revisit IDPs, mentor plans, and expectations regularly Periodically evaluate progress and assess the relationship https://mentoringresources.ictr.wisc.edu/EvalTemplates

Phases of Mentor/Mentee Relationship Cultivation—Mentee Roles Actively listen and contribute to conversations Acknowledge your weaknesses and build from your strengths Accept and reflect on constructive criticism Don't get defensive in difficult conversations Follow through on tasks and meet deadlines Communicate your changing needs Periodically evaluate progress and assess the relationship

Phases of Mentor/Mentee Relationship Closure—Mentor Roles Be sensitive to when the relationship has run its course Set goal for a change on good terms, whatever the reason (mission accomplished, lack of progress, moves, shift in professional focus, etc.) Follow up on your mentee’s successes Provide a summative evaluation of the experience Say thank you and give credit where credit is due Learn from your experience when mentoring others https://mentoringresources.ictr.wisc.edu/MenteeClosureResources

Phases of Mentor/Mentee Relationship Closure—Mentee Roles Provide your mentor with updates after the formal relationship has ended Provide a summative evaluation of the experience Say thank you and give credit where credit is due Give back to the profession and mentor others

Resources for Mentor Training TRI-sponsored mentor training Online training: https://www.ctsi.umn.edu/education-and-training/mentoring/mentor-training Curated readings and tools for mentors: https://nrmnet.net/research-mentor-training/

For Discussion What have you found that works for managing multiple mentees/mentors? What’s one thing you have learned in a mentoring relationship that you wish you knew from the beginning?