The Value of Mentoring The Value of Mentoring Young Professionals: A Young Professionals: A Conversation with New Conversation with New

ProfessionalsProfessionals

Andy Axsom, University of North TexasAndy Axsom, University of North Texas

Angel Nathan, Middle Tennessee State UniversityAngel Nathan, Middle Tennessee State University

Becky Reamey, The University of AlabamaBecky Reamey, The University of Alabama

OverviewOverview

• OutcomesOutcomes

• LiteratureLiterature

• New Professionals InstituteNew Professionals Institute

• Mentoring on Your CampusMentoring on Your Campus

OutcomesOutcomes

• Understand what literature says about mentoringUnderstand what literature says about mentoring

• Explore mentoring as a fundamental area of Explore mentoring as a fundamental area of professional developmentprofessional development

• Identify examples of peer/collegial support between Identify examples of peer/collegial support between NASPA/SACSA New Professionals Institute (NPI) NASPA/SACSA New Professionals Institute (NPI) attendees and facultyattendees and faculty

• Explore what colleagues can learn from working with Explore what colleagues can learn from working with and mentoring new professionalsand mentoring new professionals

• Evaluate mentoring opportunities by synthesizing NPI Evaluate mentoring opportunities by synthesizing NPI experiencesexperiences

LiteratureLiterature

Bova and Phillips (1982)Bova and Phillips (1982)

• Mentors :Mentors :

-Encourage the dreams and support the career -Encourage the dreams and support the career aspirations of protégésaspirations of protégés

-Provide opportunities for mentees to observe and -Provide opportunities for mentees to observe and participate in their workparticipate in their work

-Help mentees become aware of the unwritten rules -Help mentees become aware of the unwritten rules and politics involved in the professionand politics involved in the profession

LiteratureLiterature

Kram (1983)Kram (1983)

Two categories of functions served by mentorsTwo categories of functions served by mentors

• Career functionsCareer functions

-Sponsorship, Visibility, Coaching, Protection, -Sponsorship, Visibility, Coaching, Protection, Challenging AssignmentsChallenging Assignments

• Psychosocial functionsPsychosocial functions

-Confirmation, role modeling, acceptance, -Confirmation, role modeling, acceptance, counseling, friendshipcounseling, friendship

LiteratureLiterature

Profile of a MentorProfile of a Mentor

Levenson (1975)Levenson (1975)

• One defined not in terms of the formal role One defined not in terms of the formal role but in terms of the character of the but in terms of the character of the relationship and the function it serves. A relationship and the function it serves. A mentor’s primary function is to be a mentor’s primary function is to be a transitional figure, one who fosters the young transitional figure, one who fosters the young person’s development, a mixture of parent person’s development, a mixture of parent and peerand peer

LiteratureLiterature

Profile of a MentorProfile of a Mentor

Bolton (1980)Bolton (1980)

• A person who personalizes the modeling A person who personalizes the modeling influence for the protégé by a direct influence for the protégé by a direct involvement not necessarily implied by a role involvement not necessarily implied by a role model. Thus, in addition to being a role model. Thus, in addition to being a role model, the mentor acts as a guide, a tutor or model, the mentor acts as a guide, a tutor or coach, and a confidantcoach, and a confidant

LiteratureLiterature

Profile of a MentorProfile of a Mentor

Phillips Jones (1982)Phillips Jones (1982)

• Mentors are influential people who significantly Mentors are influential people who significantly help you reach your life goals. They have the help you reach your life goals. They have the power- through who or what they know- to power- through who or what they know- to promote your welfare, training, or career promote your welfare, training, or career

LiteratureLiterature

Value to mentorValue to mentorKram (1983)Kram (1983)

• Provides one the opportunity to redirect one’s energies Provides one the opportunity to redirect one’s energies into creative and productive actioninto creative and productive action

• Opportunity to review and reappraise the past by Opportunity to review and reappraise the past by participating in a younger adult’s attempt to face the participating in a younger adult’s attempt to face the challenges of early adulthoodchallenges of early adulthood

Wright & Wright (1987)Wright & Wright (1987)

• Mentoring allows mentors to have a more enduring Mentoring allows mentors to have a more enduring effect on a profession or organizationeffect on a profession or organization

LiteratureLiterature

Value to mentorValue to mentor

Levinson et al. (1978)Levinson et al. (1978)

• Satisfaction in passing skills and wisdom on to protégésSatisfaction in passing skills and wisdom on to protégés

Ragins and Scandura (1999)Ragins and Scandura (1999)

• Fulfillment received from fostering the development of Fulfillment received from fostering the development of a younger adulta younger adult

LiteratureLiterature

Chao (1997)Chao (1997)

Two types of mentoringTwo types of mentoring

• Formal MentoringFormal Mentoring• Managed and sanctioned by an organizationManaged and sanctioned by an organization

• Informal MentoringInformal Mentoring• Spontaneous relationshipsSpontaneous relationships• Occur without external involvement from the Occur without external involvement from the

organizationorganization• Not managed, formally structured, or formally Not managed, formally structured, or formally

recognizedrecognized

Literature SummaryLiterature Summary

What Mentoring What Mentoring Provides MenteeProvides Mentee

• Career AdvancementCareer Advancement

• NetworkingNetworking

• Professional Professional DevelopmentDevelopment

• Personal IdentityPersonal Identity

• Increased CompetenceIncreased Competence

What Mentoring What Mentoring Provides MentorProvides Mentor

• ReflectionReflection

• Redirect the futureRedirect the future

• Impact on profession Impact on profession and professional and professional organizationsorganizations

• Impact on the fieldImpact on the field

New Professionals New Professionals InstituteInstitute

(NPI)(NPI)• NASPA/SACSANASPA/SACSA

• NPI is an interactive week of learning, NPI is an interactive week of learning, sharing, networking and professional and sharing, networking and professional and personal developmentpersonal development

• Focus on professional and personal renewal Focus on professional and personal renewal assists new professionals in the development assists new professionals in the development of their careersof their careers

NPINPI

““You get out of grad school and know You get out of grad school and know Chickering, Cross, and Cass to name a few. Chickering, Cross, and Cass to name a few. But you don’t know how to manage work and But you don’t know how to manage work and life, what conferences to attend, or how to life, what conferences to attend, or how to publish and present. This is where mentors publish and present. This is where mentors come in and help you navigate those things come in and help you navigate those things you didn’t learn in graduate school. As a new you didn’t learn in graduate school. As a new professional you find that these mentors will professional you find that these mentors will help you beyond measure.”help you beyond measure.”

-Ciarra Joyner, University of Tampa-Ciarra Joyner, University of Tampa

NPINPI

““NPI gave me the opportunity to step outside NPI gave me the opportunity to step outside my box and really discover how to become a my box and really discover how to become a successful professional. I can’t think of successful professional. I can’t think of another opportunity to really speak with VPs another opportunity to really speak with VPs on their experiences in a candid and open on their experiences in a candid and open setting. It was so insightful.”setting. It was so insightful.”

-Faith Stiffler, Tarleton State University-Faith Stiffler, Tarleton State University

Mentoring on Your Mentoring on Your CampusCampus

• NPI is a great experience but is not the NPI is a great experience but is not the only way for these mentoring relationships only way for these mentoring relationships to occurto occur

• Mentoring can be critical to younger Mentoring can be critical to younger professionals although valuable for allprofessionals although valuable for all

What formal and informal mentoring What formal and informal mentoring opportunities are available on your opportunities are available on your campus?campus?

Mentoring on your Mentoring on your campuscampus

Suggestions to create mentoring Suggestions to create mentoring opportunities:opportunities:

• Don’t assume that all younger professionals Don’t assume that all younger professionals have mentors!have mentors!

• Graduate studentsGraduate students

• Newcomers to the department/divisionNewcomers to the department/division

• Colleagues at other schoolsColleagues at other schools

• Professional OrganizationsProfessional Organizations

ReferencesReferences

• Bova, B.M., Phillips, R.R. (1982, November). Bova, B.M., Phillips, R.R. (1982, November). The Mentoring Relationship as an Educational Experience. The Mentoring Relationship as an Educational Experience. Paper Paper presented at National Conference of the Adult Education Association of the USA, San presented at National Conference of the Adult Education Association of the USA, San Antonio, TX. Antonio, TX. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 224 944. Retrieved June 1, 2009 ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 224 944. Retrieved June 1, 2009 from ERIC database.from ERIC database.

• Chao, G. T. (1997). Mentoring phases and outcomes. Chao, G. T. (1997). Mentoring phases and outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 51, 15 – 28.51, 15 – 28.

• Kram, K.E. (1983). Phases of the Mentor Relationship. Kram, K.E. (1983). Phases of the Mentor Relationship. The Academy of Management Journal, 26 The Academy of Management Journal, 26 (4)(4),, 608-625. 608-625.

• Levinson, D., Darrow, C., Klein E., Levinson, M., McKee, B. Levinson, D., Darrow, C., Klein E., Levinson, M., McKee, B. Season’s of a man’s life. Season’s of a man’s life. New York: Knopf.New York: Knopf.

• Ragins, B.R., Scandura, T.A. (1999). Burden or Blessing? Expected Costs and Benefits of Being a Ragins, B.R., Scandura, T.A. (1999). Burden or Blessing? Expected Costs and Benefits of Being a Mentor. Mentor. Journal Journal of Organizational Behavior, 20 of Organizational Behavior, 20 (4), 493-509.(4), 493-509.

• Russell, J.E.A., Adams, D.M. (1997). The Changing Nature of Mentoring in Organizations: An Russell, J.E.A., Adams, D.M. (1997). The Changing Nature of Mentoring in Organizations: An Introduction to Introduction to the Special Issue on Mentoring in Organizations. the Special Issue on Mentoring in Organizations. Journal of Vocational Journal of Vocational Behavior, 51, Behavior, 51, 1-15.1-15.

• Wright, C.A., Wright, S.D. (1987). The Role of Mentors in the Career Development of Young Wright, C.A., Wright, S.D. (1987). The Role of Mentors in the Career Development of Young Professionals. Professionals. Family Relations 36(Family Relations 36(2). 204-208.2). 204-208.