Mentoring and Developmental Networks in Faculty Careers Early Career Faculty Development Program Prof. Kathy E. Kram February 7, 2011 Thank you: Nora Dominguez I have been a student of mentoring for over 30 years. First working as an internal HR consultant , then as a professor of Org. Behavior. I have worked with Telecom, Hi Tech, Financial Services, Consumer Products, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Education

Agenda What is Mentoring? What are Developmental Networks? What are the potential benefits and risks? What are the complexities of cross-gender, interracial, and cross-cultural relationships? How does the organizational context shape relationships? How can you leverage relationships for your development? One of the key messages that I want to leave with you today: mentoring looks quite different than it did when I began my work on mentoring in 1977. In the 80s, more diversity In the 90s, downsizing and restructuring fast paced change, team based organizations In 2000, globalization, distributed work, cross-cultural mentoring. This is due to trends of globalization, workforce demographics, technological change, pace of change

What does it look like in today’s context? What is Mentoring? What does it look like in today’s context? In the mid- 70s I began my study of mentoring---very stable period in American Industry. What I learned in my first study of managers in a telecommunications company has been revised many times, with globalization, workforce diversity, and the impact of technology. I have worked with Hi Tech, Consumer Products, Financial Services, Healthcare Organizations, and educational institutions. Formal and Informal mentoring. “Who stands out as having taken a special interest in you and your professional development? Inside your Organization? Outside your organization? More senior to you? Your peers?

Original Definition: …a partnership between junior and senior professionals that exists to support the learning and advancement of the junior person. ….developmental support includes Career Functions and Psychosocial Functions …both individuals derive benefits from the relationship.

Content of Help Career Psychosocial Advocacy Coaching Exposure and Visibility Protection Challenging Assignments Psychosocial Role modeling Counseling Acceptance and confirmation Friendship Early studies empirically demonstrated that these types of help are regularly offered.

“Hard” Benefits of Mentoring Relationships More career opportunities Greater recognition and visibility Higher promotion rates and pay Less likelihood of leaving the organization CCL study of 166 senior executives. Fortune 500 companies. 1988. mentoring one of 3 critical factors. Others include assignments and hardships. 2003 C. Wanberg et al: definitional problems. But all point to same outcomes. 2004- T. Allen and colleagues. Meat-analysis of 43 studies. Objective and subjective measures of success. Dougherty et al (2005)multiple definitions.direction of causality not yet clear. Now looking for ways to measure the quality of mentoring Studies in the law profession:

“Soft” Benefits of Mentoring Relationships Enhanced work satisfaction Greater clarity of professional identity Higher career-related self-efficacy Greater perceptions of career success Enhanced relational skills STUDIES OF THE LAW PROFESSION—NYC, GEORGIA, AND OREGON Higgins & Thomas (2001) JOB.longtitudinal study of 130 attorneys from 12 large corporate law firms, NYC, 49% female, 23% racial minorities. Average age 31 years. 3.9 years of fulltime work experience since law school. Research sponsored by NY State Comission on the status of Minorities in the Judiciary. Findings: quality of relationships related to work satisfaction and intention to stay; Hierarchical status of constellations related to promotion 7 years later; constellation positively related to organizational retention over time. David Wilkins (1996) California Law Review. Retention among black law recruits in corporate law. Has to do with training and retention strategies that result in high turnover and lower acceptance rates of invitations to join

Past and Present Conceptualizations of Mentoring* Traditional Mentoring Perspective Hierarchical Single, dyadic relationship Intraorganizational Developmental Network Perspective Multilevel Multiple dyadic, networked relationships Intraorganizational and Extraorganizational To summarize---a major shift in the nature of mentoring in the last 10-15 years. We now see shorter relationships, more diverse relationships, peer mentoring, group mentoring, electronic mentoring * Reconceptualizing Mentoring at Work: A Developmental Network Perspective Academy of Management Review, Higgins & Kram, April 2001

Developmental Network Senior Scholars Leaders Professional Associations Personal Support System FOCAL In studies of leaders, and the career histories of managers and executives at various levels, the reality seems to be a developmental network. Monica Higgins found that those with more diverse networks were more likely to change careers. Receptive—low range and weak ties Opportunistic---high range and weak ties Traditional—strong ties, low range Entrepreneurial---strong ties, high range Only takes one positive relationship to retain and achieve satisfaction Peer(s) Graduate Assistants Students

Developers Provide Varying Types & Amounts of Support Career Support Psychosocial Support Mentor High Sponsor Low Friend Ally In fact, relationships with developers can take several forms. Continuum from Ally to Friend to Sponsor to Mentor

Structure of the Network Low Range High Range you family school employer community professional association you employer professional association What matters are: RANGE----number of domains, diversity DENSITY---to what extent developers know each other STRENGTH OF TIES-level of engagement, quality of the relationship “Hard” outcomes: In hierarchical professions, higher status networks lead to increased likelihood of promotion, organizational commitment More (structurally) diverse developmental networks are associated with greater likelihood of changing careers

Practical Implications of the DN Perspective Developmental network perspective challenges the idea that there is one perfect mentor to “find” DNQ offers a way to clarify who/how one receives developmental support at different points in a career Raises questions: What is missing? What needs to change? When it comes to mentoring and developmental networks, one size does NOT fit all Consider: a) personal goals and b) career context Places the notion of “self-assessment” in a relational context and points to relationships as an area of inquiry “Soft” outcomes Those with developmental networks that are characterized by strong ties and structural diversity (range) are more likely to have greater clarity in their sense of professional identity, greater career-related self-efficacy, and greater sense of professional success. It seems to take just one strong tie (that provides high amounts of psychosocial assistance) to feel satisfied at work

Obstacles to Effective Mentoring What are the risks? One of the biggest obstacles to effective mentoring is TIME…..

A lot of time may be put in to matching pairs, but what actually occurs after the assignment is made? Given time pressures, expanded roles, and speed of change, developmental conversations may actually be rare, or look like this….. © Simmons School of Management, Boston MA 14

Obstacles to Successful Relationships Time pressure Unclear or unrealistic expectations Poor interpersonal skills Difficulty managing negative feedback Managing differences nationality gender race Organizational context politics change LACK OF SKILLS COMPLEXITIES OF CROSS-GENDER AND CROSS-RACE RELATIONSHIPS ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS AND CHANGE

Complexities of Diverse Relationships Limits of Role Modeling Collusion in Stereotypes Public Scrutiny Peer Resentment Concerns about Intimacy and Rapport ------------------------ Antidotes: Make complexities discussible Dual Support; Multiple relationships These dynamics are shaped by the culture/context in which the relationships are embedded. Companies that have diversity initiatives underway, with awareness training and dialogue are more likely to minimize these problems, both through numbers and through the self-awareness and relational skills that individuals bring to developmental relationships (David Thomas and Robin Ely explain in their article on Paradigms for Managing Diversity)

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The Dark Side of Mentoring Superficial Interactions Unmet Expectations Jealousy Sabotage Betrayal Overdependence Negative Interactions Research on Dysfunctional Mentoring: Terri Scandura and Lillian Eby----range from slightly problematic to highly problematic. Can result in individual failure, decision to leave the organization, disillusionment, etc.

Reflection……. In small discussion groups: 1. What are your expectations for this relationship? 2.What do you bring to your relationship? 3. What concerns do you have about moving forward?

Necessary Skills for Effective Mentoring What Makes High Quality Connections Possible? Research on Positive Relationships at work Jane Dutton, U of Michigan Jean Baker-Miller, Wellesley Stone Center for research on women Joyce Fletcher---Relational Practice Belle Ragins and Joyce Fletcher on mentoring episodes, Belle and Amy Verbos on mentoring schema

Continuum of Mentoring Relationships (Ragins & Verbos, 2007) Dysfunctional Traditional Relational Dysfunctional Traditional Relational Perceived Quality: Low Medium High Behaviors: Negative or Dysfunctional Career Development & Psychosocial Support for Protégé Career Development, Psychosocial Support for both Relational Behaviors Outcomes: Negative One-sided; Instrumental Close Mentoring Bonds Mutual learning/growth

High Quality Connections (HQCs) are…. …….interdependent and generative relationships that promote mutual growth, learning, and development within the career context.

Emotional Competence HelpsHig Quality Connections Self-Awareness Self-Management Empathy Social Skills CONSORTIUM FOR RESEARCH ON EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN ORGANIZATIONS: EMPIRICALLY DEMONSTATED THAT THESE SKILLS CAN BE LEARNED. REQUIRES SELF-ASSESSMENT, PRACTICE, FEEDBACK, and REGULAR CYCLE OF LEARNING.

Essential Relational Skills Curiosity Questioning Deep listening Self management Accountability Deep Listening and Self-Management are the most difficult skills to hone. Takes Time and Practice Experience----Reflection------drawing lessons----active experimentation. Kolb Learning Cycle

2. Questioning Open ended Exploratory Non-judgmental Not leading No right answers

Outcomes of Growth Enhancing Relationships Zest (increased energy and vitality) Empowered Action Increased Self Worth New Knowledge and Skills Desire for More Connection Jean Baker Miller Relational Theory---Relational Cultural Theory Joyce Fletcher----Relational Practice Mutuality Fluid Expertise Self and Other Impact of self-awareness, opportunities to learn, reflect, solicit feedback, practice

Relational Savvy (Dawn Chandler, 2006) ………includes the attitudes, skills, and behaviors that enable individuals to effectively enlist others in their learning and development. PROACTIVITY Initiating relationships Development-seeking behaviors Proactivity with people early in the relationships Responsiveness to opportunities Initiation with existing developers MANAGING INTERACTIONS RELATIONAL ATTITUDES SOCIAL SKILLS

Good Questions to Ask What do you want? How are you responsible for this situation? If you knew you could not fail, what would you do? What are you afraid of? If you knew the answer, what would it be? What is hardest or most challenging about this situation? What positive impacts accrue to you from this action or perspective? What will you say “no” to in order to say “yes”? What do you notice in your body right now? What do you know to be true? How are you getting in your own way? What else? When you don’t know how to help, consider one or more of the above questions….

What are the practical implications? What are the lessons learned? One of the biggest obstacles to effective mentoring is TIME…..

Strategies to Improve the Quality of Relationships with Developers Know your developmental needs Have realistic expectations Make explicit how your mentor or peer can assist your learning and development Find opportunities to discuss both the technical and personal aspects of your work Do not discount peers and subordinates as potential sources of developmental support Avoid extreme compartmentalizing of your life

Strategies to Improve the Quality of Your Mentoring Efforts Become aware of how you might learn from mentees Combine counseling and coaching Take the responsibility to make differences discussible Expect and invite questioning of your views and advice Follow-up on difficult conversations Anticipate that the mentee’s developmental needs will change Develop a diverse network of peer relationships

Key Take-Aways Use a Developmental Network Approach Model relational learning for others Assess talent development needs Assess current practices Experiment, evaluate, and redesign Engage and reward others Build a culture of learning through relationships

Questions and Comments?