mentoring library employees: a beginners guide

MENTORING LIBRARY

EMPLOYEESA BEGINNER’S GUIDE

Catherine Hakala-Ausperk

LOOKING BACK…

Careers Aren’t Easy

WHICH WAYDOYOUGO?

LET’S SHARE SOME

STORIES

BEST

DECISION

EVER!

WHAT

ABOUT

YOUR

STORY?

WHY MENTORS?

THE BENEFIT FOR THE LIBRARY

• INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY

•SUCCESSION PLANNING

•GROWING LOCAL LEADERS

•ENHANCING JOBS

•ENGAGING (RETAINING) STAFF

THE BENEFIT FOR THE MENTEE

•ANSWERS

•SUPPORT

•ENCOURAGE

MENT

•GROWTH

•SUCCESS

THE BENEFIT FOR THE MENTOR

•CONNECTIONS

•CONTRIBUTIONS

• IDEAS

•MOTIVATION

•VALUE

•EXPERIENCE

WHY DOESN’T EVERYONE HAVE A

MENTOR?

TOO COMPLICATED

TOO TIME CONSUMING

TOO EXPENSIVE

IT DIDN’T WORK LAST TIME!!

WHY NOT BEGIN AGAIN?

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

•DESIGN

•PEOPLE

•NO PITFALLS

•A LITTLE HELP

#1 – LET’S START WITH DESIGN

•SIMPLE – COMPLICATED – SOMEWERE IN BETWEEN

LET’S START WITH (SO WE CAN AVOID)

COMPLICATED

MEDIUM OR…“NOT TO

COMPLICATED”

SIMPLE!

(LET’S GO

WITH THAT!)

#2 - YOU’LL NEED PEOPLE

THEIR GOALS

• LEAD BY EXAMPLE

• DRAW OUT POSSIBILITIES

• LISTEN FOR (DON’T OFFER) SOLUTIONS

• DEMONSTRATE A GENUINE INTEREST

MENTORS

THEIR QUALITIES

HONESTY

INQUISITIVENESS

COMPASSIONATE

PRACTICAL

EXPERIENCED

OBJECTIVE

TRUSTED

RESPECTED

MENTORS

WHERE DO YOU FIND MENTORS?

❋SCHOOLS/CLASSES

❋AT WORK

❋IN OTHER LIBRARIES

❋IN THE COMMUNITY

❋IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

❋ON COMMITTEES

❋THROUGH COLLEAGUES

❋IN BLOGS

MENTORS

HOW NOT TO FIND A MENTOR

JUST BY TITLE

EXPECTING TOO MUCH

REQUIRING TOO MUCH

BY LOOKING IN THE MIRROR

BY PUTTING UP WALLS

WHAT SHOULD MENTORS DO?OFFER SINCERE ENCOURAGEMENT

OFFER KIND COUNSEL

BELIEVE IN THE MENTEE

SHARE RELATIONSHIPS, NOT JUST INFORMATION

CREATE CONNECTIONS

MENTORS

MENTEES

ASK

WHAT

MENTEES

SHOULD DO

LISTEN

WHAT

MENTEES

SHOULD DO

TRUST

WHAT

MENTEES

SHOULD DO

APPLY

WHAT

MENTEES

SHOULD DO

THANK

WHAT

MENTEES

SHOULD DO

#3 - YOU’LL NEED TO AVOID PITFALLS

1. EVERYTHING GOING ONE WAY

2. CHOSEN FOR THE WRONG REASON

3. PUTTING LIKE PEOPLE TOGETHER

4. NO OVERSIGHT

5. USED AS DISCIPLINE

6. NEVER-ENDING

7. FORCED

BEGINNERS CAN USE SOME HELP

RESOURCES:

• MODELS

• OTHER LIBRARIES

• OTHER INDUSTRIES

• PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

• PRESENTERS

• AUTHORS

• BOOKS, CHAPTERS & ARTICLES!

WHAT’S

YOUR

NEXT

STORY?

BEGINNERS BEGIN

WHENSHOULD YOU BEGIN?

WHYSHOULD

YOU

BEGIN?

“WE ARE SMARTER TOGETHER THAN WE ARE ALONE”

Catherine Monnin, Mentor

Extraordinaire!

START WITH ME!

chakalaausperk@gmail.com