1. Goal setting
Overall, the mentor and mentee should together establish goals for the mentoring process. Effective mentoring most commonly involves the creation of a collaborative plan that:
· Helps the mentee develop a career vision;
· Identifies how the mentee will achieve the vision;
· Creates strategic goals that are achievable and measurable;
· Includes annual review of progress on goals;
2. Mentoring Activities
Mentors and mentees are encouraged to meet and discuss activities that promote mentees’ needs and interests through face-to-face interactions, phone calls, or emails. Mentoring activities may include: social activities, research-related activities, teaching-related activities, service-related activities, career development, and work-life balance.
Social activities
· Take mentee out for lunch
· Introduce mentee to other faculty members
· Introduce mentee to staff who can provide useful resources
· Attend mentoring workshops together offered by the University
Research-related activities
· Discuss research strategies
· Review CV and provide feedback
· Discuss research funding opportunities and strategies
· Review grant applications
Teaching-related activities
· Review students’ teaching evaluations
· Discuss effective instructional skills
· Discuss teaching portfolio
· Share useful teaching resources
· Observe mentee teaching in classroom
Service-related activities
· Discuss potential service opportunities at the department or university level (e.g., service on committee)
· Discuss scholarly service opportunities (e.g., journal reviewer, conference organizers)
· Discuss ways to balance service and research/teaching
· Provide advice regarding avenues for community engagement
Career development
· Discuss long-term career goals
· Discuss tenure and promotion process including preparing dossier when relevant
· Discuss departmental climate and provide advice on faculty relationships
Work-life balance
· Discuss work-to-life and life-to-work conflicts
· Share time management strategies
· Share stress management techniques
Civic Engagement and Economic Development
• Explore technology transfer implications of research
• Discuss relevant patent development and licensing
• Explore consulting opportunities
• Help identify strategies to network with various community groups
• Assist in developing best practices for working effectively with community groups, NGO’s and businesses at the local through global levels. discovered and making changes to mentor/mentee relationships and practices as needed.
Elements of Effective Mentoring Quick Links:
