November 2004 Food For Thought
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Mentoring Matters


"The best way to cheer yourself is to cheer somebody else up."�
-- Mark Twain


If you've been in the healthcare profession for a long time, you may be at the point where you'd really like to help others just starting out. Or perhaps because of your expertise, a newcomer has approached you and asked you to be his/her mentor. Or maybe you're acting as a mentor to many young healthcare professionals and you don't even realize it. Whatever your circumstance, it's helpful to know more about mentoring. Not only from the standpoint of what you can do for others, but what the relationship can do for you.


What defines a mentor?
In the professional world, when you act as a mentor, you're serving as an advisor to someone less experienced than you. As a mentor, your main responsibility is to offer guidance with the other person's best interests in mind. While peers can sometimes successfully mentor other peers, the traditional mentor relationship involves two people at significantly different skill levels.

Your mentor relationship may be a formal partnership or a casual agreement. No matter what the situation, you'll always want to keep these guidelines in mind.

"¢ Take the initiative and be inquisitive. Ask questions and learn about your partner's main goals and ambitions. Explore what you can do to help him/her achieve those goals.


"¢ Make sure you discuss on-the-job challenges, uncertainties, and worries. Someone new to the profession may have a lot of concerns" having someone to talk to is very comforting and therapeutic.


"¢ Focus on your listening. You're trying to teach your partner through your experiences, but often the best way for someone to learn is by having them talk through their problems and coming to their own conclusions. So, make sure you let them talk and be sure to listen.


"¢ Set clear boundaries. Make sure that your protégé is aware of your limitations and how much time you will be able to devote to him/her. For example, if they are contacting you daily for advice, and this isn't feasible for you, suggest that he/she consolidate questions into one weekly phone call.



"¢ Be honest. You will not be doing your "apprentice"� any favors if you fill their head with unwarranted praise. If you feel they're making mistakes or looking at things in the wrong way, tell them! It's the only way they will learn and develop in their career.

A Reciprocal Relationship
The person being mentored and your healthcare organization are not the only ones to benefit from this relationship. Aside from enjoying the goodwill you have created, you can find yourself on the receiving end of many other surprising benefits. Networking, for instance, goes both ways and your newcomer could eventually be the one to introduce you to an ideal partnership, or to tell you of an exciting opportunity.