1 EDUCAUSE eLive Mentoring: A Learning Collaboration Marilu Goodyear

2 Today’s Agenda What is mentoring? Why is it important? What does the research say about mentoring? Benefits of mentoring Mentoring programs

3 What is mentoring? A developmental caring, sharing, and helping relationship with a focus on the enhancement of the mentee’s growth and skill development.

4 Mentoring Functions Protégé Gets Career Assistance –Coaching –Exposure/Visibility –Challenging assignments –Sponsorship –Protection Psychosocial Support –Role Modeling –Acceptance/Confirmation –Counseling –Friendship Mentor Provides Career Direction –Teaching –Providing opportunities –Delegating –Nominations –Shields from the negative Psychosocial Support –Allow Observation –Encouragement –Listening –Confidante/Cheerleader

5 Why is Mentoring Important? Development of tomorrow’s leaders –ECAR study results Everyone needs career advice Everyone needs perspective Important factor in the development of organization –Building understanding of mission –Staff development –Assist with organizational change

6 Research Frameworks for Mentoring? Types of mentoring –Traditional one-to-one –Mentoring networks Multiple developmental relationships, including peers Based on specific skill development Based on psychosocial need New book: Power Mentoring: How Successful Mentors and Protégés Get the Most Out of Their Relationships. Ensher, E. A., and Susan Elaine Murphy. (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass )

7 Mentoring Network Example Supervisor –Protection –Challenging Assignments Professional Senior –Sponsorship Professional Peer –Acceptance/Confirmation Professional Junior (also referred to as reverse mentoring) –Coaching Family –Role Modeling

8 The Mentoring Network Diversity of the Network –Range (number of different social systems represented) –Density (the extent to which mentors know and are connected with each other) Strength of the Relationships –Emotional Affect/Trust –Reciprocity –Frequency of Communication

9 Benefits for the Protégé Career advancement Career satisfaction Psychosocial support –Often from peer mentors Increase in compensation –Yes, having a mentor is linked to increased salary levels

10 Benefits for the Mentor Legacy: Desire to pass on information to others Feelings of having respect Organizational/professional commitment –To be known as a person who can select talent Learn from future generation

11 Reasons to Mentor Previous positive mentoring experience Recognition of protégé need Select individuals who are thought to have potential –Positive –Active on their own behalf –Learners

12 Benefits to the Organization Development of junior staff Utilization of senior staff Decrease in turnover rates/ stronger organizational commitment –Greater number of developmental relationships within the organization the greater the organizational commitment Organizational change/stress –Mentoring can be a major factor in assisting employees to cope –Utilized by senior as much as junior staff

13 Professional Characteristics and Mentoring Highly organized professional education Doctors, Social Workers, Teachers Highly organized mentoring/internships Credential and experience orientated professions Libraries, Architects One-to-one matching programs Observation/Working side by side Experience orientated professions Higher Education Administration Group mentoring Observation/Working side by side

14 What will work for IT? Group Mentoring Programs –Example: University of Kansas Women’s Mentoring Group Orientation Programs –Example: IT Security Officers preconference Virtual Coaching –EDUCAUSE Peer Directory –Conference connections –Blogs Mentee selection –Organizational environment that is supportive –Supervisory responsibility for employee career growth Reverse Mentoring Programs

15 Introducing the New EDUCAUSE Mentoring Web site Thanks to the EDUCAUSE Professional Development Committee, Cynthia Golden, Catherine Yang, Tip Ramsay, and Susan Gollnick

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