Being a Mentor

Mentors, too, felt that they had gained a lot from the mentoring experience. Thus, the majority stated that being a mentor helped... 

Handle registration of a member s interest in being a mentor, a mentee or both. 

What she would like to improve, however, is to ensure that those who accept the task of being a mentor really are committed to it. 

Plus, you will not be concerned about promotions, and you can be a mentor to less-experienced staff. 

I am struck by the lack of progress we are making in how women are perceived or evaluated in their jobs—whether the evaluation is in terms of our research, our effectiveness as department heads, our leadership roles, or our efforts as mentors or champions. We are still searching for how best to be a leader, how best to be a mentor, how best to be a champion, and how to take on these roles. There are so few women in leadership roles that we don t have enough examples of effective leadership among women in the chemical sciences to know who are the appropriate role models. We need more women as leaders, not only as role models, but also as champions and advocates for other women coming up the line. 

They don t want to be role models for every young woman on campus and beyond All too often being a role model means being a mentor and adviser not only to a disproportionate number of students—male and female—but also to male colleagues seeking a friendly and unthreatening ear. 

Adviser, Teacher, Role Model, Friend On Being a Mentor to Students in Science and Engineering, National Academy of Science, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine National Academy Press Washington, DC, 1997 Available online at http //www.nap.edu/ readingroom/books/mentor/. 

National Research ConncU. Adviser, Teacher, Role Model, Friend On Being a Mentor to Students in Science and Engineering. National Academies Press, 1997. 

Other times, what made employees feel so included was being asked to be a mentor. 

Sponsors also helped employees get placed into strategic opportunities. For example, to enhance his employees chances of success, this European executive at Big Bank said, I can be a mentor or a sponsor. He realized the pivotal role his ability to sponsor others plays in their success. This was important to help managers, particularly those in our European focus groups get recognition, showcase results, and/or showcase skills. ... 

The people development approaches described above can be contrasted with the role of a mentor. 

Being a European mentor and therefore using the integrated approach means having to be very flexible. It might require you to be directive and address intellectual needs in one situation. 

One-to-one mentoring - a mentor is allocated to one mentee and the relationship can be very strong this is the most prevalent type of mentoring. 

Motivation and satisfaction. A mentor can be a source of motivation and satisfaction, and can assist mentees to keep up the momentum in their career path. Mentees have more confidence in the knowledge that there is someone backing their corner. 

Other s negative emotions. In cases where a third party feels compromised by any one mentoring relationship, mentor and/or mentee can be put at a disadvantage. For example, if the mentee becomes the subject of someone s envy (most likely an individual who was unable to enter a mentoring relationship), the scene could be set for some unpleasant events. These may include active attempts by this third party to harm the mentee s reputation and obstruct his or her progress. 

As for mentors and mentees, there are very few real risks for the organization as a result of running a mentoring scheme. Most, if not all, of them can be avoided by planning, implementing and monitoring the program carefully. 

No positive performance changes. Again, in a carefully designed and implemented scheme this should not be a regular feature. However, there will always be some individuals whose performance does not improve as dramatically as that of others. Furthermore, when running a mentoring scheme you should not expect to see any substantive behaviour changes in less than 1 year (Murray and Owen, 1991). 

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