“helping our faculty and trainees reach their full

potential”

Charles J. GomerProfessor of Pediatrics & Radiation Oncology

Giving and Receiving Feedback

“Behind every successful person, there is one elementary truth: somewhere, somehow, someone cared about their growth and development . This person was their mentor”

(Beverley Kaye, Up is Not the Only Way, 1997)

Many times there will be multiple mentors!

Why does USC promote mentoring?

Mentors share experiences and advice in a variety of areas

• Career advancement, guidance on resources, promotion

• Professional practice skills• Grantsmanship, scientific oversight• Publishing, scientific writing skills• Teaching skills, curriculum development• Enhancing professional visibility (networking)• Overcoming barriers to success, time management• Meshing a career with a personal life

Characteristics of a Good Mentor

• Approachable and welcoming

• Shares information and experiences openly

• Good communication skills

• Trustworthy

• Provides accurate and appropriate feedback

• Technical expertise

• Motivating, encouraging, positive and empowering

• Allocates appropriate time to mentoring

• An effective intermediary

Characteristics of a Good Mentee

• Asks questions• Willing to be mentored• Strives to give his/her best at all times• Accepts criticism graciously• Learns from mistakes• Has courage to try new things• Accepts responsibilities• Open and honest• Respectful and grateful• Listens, watches, learns, grows

Mentoring Skills: Listening

“Seek first to understand, then to be

understood.” Steven Covey

“Never miss a good opportunity to

shut up and listen.” Will Rogers

Empathy

• One of the most important skills you will ever acquire.

It is listening so intently and identifying so closely that you experience the other person’s situation, thoughts and emotions.

Building Trust

• Follow policies and guidelines• Make expectations clear• Provide feedback that is useful• Maintain a positive tone• Demonstrate concern for the mentee

Postdoctoral Goals

Expand research expertise

Perform public presentations

Publish, publish, publish

Acquire grantsmanship & teaching skills

Develop professional relationships

Develop mentoring skills

Postdoctoral Expectations

Favorable work environment• -facilities and funding• -research focus• -advisor presence and input

Enhanced learning potential Professional development opportunities

Advisor Expectations

Laboratory Skills

• -bring in expertise

• -learn and teach new skills

-Contribute positively to the advisor’s research program

Design, perform, supervise, present, publish

Student Goals

to be able to do real science to be able to understand research

problems to determine the data needed and how to

collect it to develop abilities to think independently

and creatively to acquire attitudes & skills of scientists to become adept in the lab

Student Expectations

A positive relationship with their faculty mentor and research team

Respect

Real work, not busy work

New friends & social interactions

Succeeding in a new organization, setting, laboratory

Mentoring students

• Make sure students know they matter

• Explain the “why” when you ask them to do something

• Look for opportunities to reward them

• Provide feedback

• Make work enjoyable

• Model the behavior you wantMolidor, JB. Here comes Gen Why! Interacting with the next generation of learners. APPD meeting, April 2006

USC Mentoring Resources Primary Link

www.mentor.usc.edu

Resources (Depts., Faculty, Students) www.mentor.usc.edu/resources

School/Unit Mentoring Activities www.mentor.usc.edu/schoolunit-mentoring-activities

Mellon Mentoring (culture of mentoring) www.mentor.usc.edu/home/mellon-mentoring/