Best Practices in Mentoring: Advice from Northwestern Faculty : Postdoctoral Affairs

Best Practices in Mentoring: Advice from Northwestern Faculty

These observations are drawn from interviews with 40 Northwestern faculty renowned for their excellence as mentors.

Mentors are also responsible for making mentees successful
Break tasks into manageable pieces
Enable the student to learn from and with the team and see each other’s process
Diagnose the student’s skill set (and develop a plan for utilizing and extending it)
Instill motivation and enthusiasm about the student’s projects
Find out what gets your student excited
Help your mentee recognize what they’re suited for among specialties
Convey the kind of commitment your field requires to excel
Undertake bi-directional negotiation about topics
Care about your student; think about their career; take time to give critical feedback
Model how to be a good researcher
Help your student to understand the processes and techniques of research
Figure out what to tell this student to help him/her succeed

Hold regular meetings
Give explicit and frequent evaluation of achievement
When there’s a problem, call attention to it sooner; don’t let problems build up
Respond promptly to the student’s work
Keep focus and priorities clear
Take notes: these may become a useful basis for letters of recommendation
Plan forward

Pay attention to all forms of verbal and non-verbal communication
Always deliver difficult news in person and privately
Be tough, yet keep the intellectual criteria clear
Trust your expertise and give direction
Consult with your advisor on any serious difficulties
Maintain openness, yet preserve confidentiality
Be honest. When there are setbacks, look for a positive spin
Ensure that a mentee understands what you are trying to communicate, otherwise you will just have to repeat the information over and over again

Demystify research and academia
Let the student see all aspects of your job; let them help when feasible and appropriate (“legitimate peripheral participation”)
Coach the student on how to be savvy in personal interactions
Teach the student how your field and discipline works
Help students to come to problems through investigation and to develop their questions through study

Mentor because you’re interested and motivated
Casual conversations can be valuable teaching moments
Remember that mentees can also help you think about your work in new ways, and sustained contact with students can change your thinking
Your commitment to mentees can be returned with their best efforts, passion, and loyalty vis-à-vis your (or your group’s) efforts
You will understand minds by building them
It is rewarding to see someone grow and understand something new, with or without a great result

Getting formal training in mentoring will make the learning curve more manageable; fewer mistakes will result
Mentoring can be both frustrating and fun; learn from and enjoy it all
Be conscious of power dynamics in mentoring relationships and how that dynamic can be impacted by gender, ethnicity, cultural background, etc.
Remember times when you have felt isolated or lost and work to always promote civility, respect, and collegiality
Your personal style will emerge; be comfortable with yourself in this role
Enjoy your mentee’s successes when they get a good result
Be patient
Don’t take your own strengths for granted (if it’s easy for you, that doesn’t mean it’s not unimportant)
There is a status difference between mentor and student; respect the gap between buddy and gatekeeper
Advice and love are cheap. Be reassuring and affirmative
Small things can matter a lot
Remember that you can have a huge impact on someone’s future career