Being a Mentor

Make Your Meetings More Active

Include items on your meeting agenda that require participants to get out of their seats (breakout groups, stand and write ideas on an easel).
Choose movement friendly meeting locations (walkable neighborhoods, on-site gym, nearby park).
Hire a professional instructor (pilates, yoga, tai chi, stretching, Zumba) to lead a class before or during the meeting.
Point out the stairs and encourage attendees to use them. Consider including the location of stairs in meeting directions or putting arrows to the stairs in front of elevators.
Organize a group walk early in the morning, during a break or before/after dinner.
Consider incorporating standing ovations after each speaker to encourage participants to stand and stretch.

Standing Breaks

At least once an hour, participants should be encouraged to stand up to improve blood circulation, boost metabolism, and relieve physical discomfort from sitting for prolonged periods of time.
Announce that it is fine to stand up and move around, as needed. If possible, provide raised tables for those electing to stand during the meeting.

Stretch Breaks

Stretch breaks help participants wake up their bodies and minds.
Encourage people to stand up and stretch in place.
Try playing a Healthy UC Davis WakeBreak video! These instructor-led stretch videos range from 4 to 15 minutes.

Breathing Exercise

Focused breathing is an energizing activity that can help relax and clear your mind. Simply inhale for four seconds, hold it for seven seconds, and exhale for eight seconds.

Suggested Activity Agendas

LENGTH OF MEETING	STANDING BREAK	STRETCH BREAKS	BREATHING BREAKS	MOVEMENT BREAKS	WALKING BREAKS
50 - 60 min	x		x
2 - 4 hours	x	x	x	x
All Day	x	x	x	x	x

The roles you assume as a mentor depends on the needs of your mentee and the relationship you have established.

Common Mentor Roles:

Guide: A guide takes you through a journey, providing different pathways and warning of potential pitfalls. A mentor can offer wise perspective and can encourage growth by asking the right questions, throwing out ideas, and keeping conversation and creativity moving. This advisory role also requires the mentor to help the mentee develop professional interests and set realistic career goals.
Coach: A coach provides motivation and feedback. Positive feedback to reinforce behavior and constructive feedback to change behavior. Both types are critical to the professional growth of the mentee. Positive feedback is a great motivating tool for removing doubt and building self-esteem which results in a sense of accomplishment.
Advisor: An advisor works with the mentee to develop a career development plan that outlines what knowledge, skills and abilities are needed to reach career goals.
Counselor: The counselor role establishes a lasting and open relationship. Respect and confidentiality are baselines for this relationship. A mentor encourages the mentee identify their strengths and weaknesses and develop problem-solving skills.
Advocate: An advocate champions the ideas and interests of the mentee. Advocates act as a sponsor, creating opportunities that challenge and instruct the mentee, setting them up for success. The goal is to provide as much exposure and visibility for the mentee, with a minimum of risk. This role primarily involves initiating opportunities for development by helping establish a network of contacts, helpful resources and a path to success.
Role Model: Teaching by example is a mentor’s most effective developmental tool.

Characteristics of an Effective Mentor:

Supportive of the needs and aspirations of the mentee.
Willing to spend time performing mentoring responsibilities.
Respected in the community and profession.
Communicates openly and clearly.
Comfortable providing constructive feedback.
Has a genuine interest in helping others succeed.
A respectful, inspiring and positive attitude

Complete the “Do I have what it takes?” (PDF) assessment to further explore your mentoring potential and readiness.

Responsibilities of the Mentor:

Assist your mentee in identifying professional and personal growth goals and objectives.
Assist your mentee in establishing explicit goals and objectives for the relationship.
Assist your mentee in developing and maintaining the Mentoring Agreement.
Commit to meeting with mentee on a regular basis. Establish how and when those meetings will take place.
Complete progress reports and regularly re-assess needs.
Review agreements reached in the Mentoring Agreement at regular intervals of the partnership.
Maintain the confidentiality of the relationship.

THE MENTORING PROCESS

Mentoring

As a Mentor: Do
> Be fully committed to the mentoring process and your mentee. Have genuine interest in your mentee.
> Be clear about your expectations, needs, and limits of the relationship.
> Create an open and comfortable environment.
> Be sensitive to differences in race, gender and cultural background.
> Be yourself, offer your own lessons learned, struggles, and successes. Be straightforward about you own strengths and weaknesses.
> Recognize the power of feedback. Ask first, then provide your mentee with suggestions and constructive feedback in the spirit of development and caring.
> Practice Active Listening (link)
> Guide mentees toward reflection and self-learning by asking questions and not leading them to a quick, right answer.
> Encourage your mentee to move toward his or her goals, not yours.
> Follow up on commitments you have made to your mentee.
> Make only positive or neutral comments about your mentee to others.
> Encourage your mentee to join committees and professional organizations helpful for career development.
As a Mentor: Don't
> Automatically give advice or criticism.
> Assume your advice will always be followed.
> Break the confidence/trust of your mentee.
> Be inconsistent, unpredictable, or condescending.
> Overpromise what you can do.
> Expect a “mini-me” to emerge.
> Lose touch with your mentee after the formalized relationship has ended.
> Be surprised when you learn something from the mentoring relationship.