Optimizing the Practice of Mentoring

Resources and References

Resources

Key Terms: Four Common Ways in Which Racism Can Manifest in the Life of a Trainee - This resource from the National Research Mentoring Network provides definitions for terms such as bias, privilege, and microaggressions, with links to additional online readings.
The Careers section of Science magazine’s website regularly publishes articles about diversity issues salient to research training environments and workplaces.
The National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), funded by the National Institutes of Health, offers training in Culturally Aware Mentoring and other resources to foster greater diversity in the biomedical research workforce.
A variety of case studies and activities are available to help research mentors gain insight on how to address equity and inclusion within their mentoring relationships. These can be accessed from the custom curricula section of the website for The Center for the Improvement of Mentored Research Experiences in Research (CIMER) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Building a Relationship With a Mentee describes effective interpersonal communication techniques that can help mentors build rapport and create positive relationships with mentees. Content is part of the Clinical Mentoring Toolkit developed by the International Training and Education Center on HIV (I-TECH).
The MindTools Web site offers a 15-item Communication Quiz and a brief interpretation of your score.
The Effective Communication Styles Inventory from Wanda Hackett Enterprises can be used to identify your dominant communication style and learn how to interact with people whose styles differ from your own.

This journal article describes the value of aligning expectations and offers examples of expectations that are important to discuss at the start of a research mentoring relationship. Huskins WC, Silet K, Weber-Main AM, et al. Identifying and aligning expectations in a mentoring relationship. Clin Transl Sci. 2011;4(6):439-47.

A how-to guide for establishing boundaries in a mentoring relationship is available online from the non-profit organization Futurprenuer Canada. Although designed for the business setting, the tool can be adapted for research mentoring relationships.

This list of behaviors that cultivate/erode trust was developed for the faculty mentoring program at the University of California San Francisco.

This journal article includes a “Mentor Self-Reflection Template” (Table 3) to help you think critically about your mentoring practices. Anderson L, Silet K, Fleming M. Evaluating and giving feedback to mentors: new evidence-based approaches. Clin Transl Sci. 2011;5(1):71-7.

Bland CJ, Taylor AL, Shollen SL, Weber-Main AM, Mulcahy PA. Faculty Success Through Mentoring: A Guide for Mentors, Mentees, and Leaders. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc; 2009.
Daloz L. Mentor: Guiding the Journey of Adult Learners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 1999.
Bower DJ, Diehr S, Morzinski JA, Simpson DE. Support-challenge-vision: A model for faculty mentoring. Medical Teacher. 1998;20(6):595-597.