Mentoring is very much more than simple one-to-one informal instruction, or what used to be called ‘coaching’. Modern mentoring techniques are modelled on those of executive coaching as well as expert academic tutoring. Mentoring is simple but not necessarily easy. An estimated 40% of all mentoring schemes fail through lack of mentor training and understanding. No great effort is required to study the literature but, for mentoring to be effective, adherence to basic principles and exercising specific skills is absolutely necessary. The book provides an introduction to what we mean by mentoring and its basic skills – skilful questioning, active listening, building trust, self-management and giving advice and feedback. It further covers mentoring principles, how to conduct mentoring sessions and a wide range of practical applications. The final chapter gives the outlines and principles for creating a basic mentoring scheme within an organisational context.
This book is written for those practitioners in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the STEM fields, who have been pitched into the role of mentor without any prior training. Its objective is to alleviate anxiety, frustration and stress caused by not knowing exactly what is expected. In offering an introduction to mentoring it gives practical guidance as a quick and easy read.
Author(s): John Arthurs
Edition: 1
Publisher: CRC Press
Year: 2021
Language: English
Commentary: Vector PDF
Pages: 170
City: Leiden, NL
Tags: Pedagogy; Science Education; Education; Mentorship
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Author
1. Introduction
1.1 What this book is about
1.2 Individual contributors of case histories
Case history 1.1 – A recently graduated geologist learns to think independently (JWA)
Exercise 1.1 – Preparation
2. What is a mentor?
2.1 Definition of mentoring
Case history 2.1 – Message from a role model – Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming (Timothy Brundle)
2.2 Organisational leaders and managers
2.3 Educational professionals and mentors
2.4 Professional and executive coaches, counsellors and therapists
2.5 When mentoring goes wrong
Exercise 2.1 – Reflect on your own mentors
3. Essential mentoring skills
3.1 Mentoring as an interpersonal communication skill
3.2 Skilful questioning
Exercise 3.1 – Questions about questions
3.3 Active listening
Case history 3.1 – A frustrated executive coach learns to listen (JWA)
3.4 An ability to build trust
Case history 3.2 – A recent graduate looks uncomfortable (JWA)
Case history 3.3 – The curse of a poorly thought-out e-mail (JWA)
Exercise 3.2 – Establishing rapport in a mentoring session
3.5 Self-management
3.5.1 Interpersonal communication skill and self-awareness
3.5.2 Emotional intelligence
3.5.3 Non-verbal communication
3.5.4 Using your intuition
3.5.5 Non-directive mentoring
Case history 3.4 – Dealing with anger (Ian M. Graham)
3.6 Giving constructive advice and structured feedback
3.6.1 Giving constructive advice
Exercise 3.3 – Good and bad advice
3.6.2 Structured feedback
Case history 3.5 – You never said that before (Ian Graham)
Exercise 3.4 – Role play giving structured feedback
3.7 A broader view of mentoring skills
Case history 3.6 – What I have learnt as an academic supervisor (Gus Hancock)
4. Mentoring principles and process
4.1 Mentoring principles
4.1.1 Principle 1 – The primary role of mentoring is to create awareness
4.1.2 Principle 2 – Mentoring is client-centred
4.1.3 Principle 3 – Self-responsibility
4.1.4 Principle 4 – Intrinsic motivation
4.1.5 Principle 5 – Ethical responsibility
Case history 4.1 – The ethics of innovation (and mentoring) (Timothy Brundle)
Exercise 4.1 – How are mentoring principles applied in practice?
4.2 A framework for the mentoring process
4.2.1 Step 1 – Connecting
4.2.2 Step 2 – Scoping
Exercise 4.2 – Suggestions for an initial scoping meeting
4.2.3 Step 3 – Mentoring sessions
Exercise 4.3 – Preparation for mentoring
4.2.4 Step 4 – Review and close
Exercise 4.4 – The GROW model in action
5. Mentoring in practice
5.1 Typical mentoring challenges
5.2 Establishing the baseline
5.2.1 Assessing knowledge level
5.2.2 Assessing cognitive skill level
5.2.3 Identifying a preferred learning style
5.3 Technical mentoring and professional skill training
Exercise 5.1 – Using the GROW coaching model for technical mentoring
5.3.1 The Socratic questioning technique
Case history 5.1 – Early career scientists turn theory into practice (JWA)
5.4 Professional attitudes and motivational interviewing
Case history 5.2 – Follow your passion (Timothy Brundle)
Exercise 5.2 – Professional attitudes
5.4.1 Motivational interviewing and the cycle of change
Case history 5.3 – Fear and anxiety inhibit a mentee’s career (JWA)
5.5 Mentoring for professional qualifications and accreditation
5.5.1 Stage 1 – Preparation
5.5.2 Stage 2 – Application
5.5.3 Stage 3 – Validation
5.5.4 Stage 4 – The decision
5.6 Mentoring for self-confidence
5.6.1 Understanding what self-confidence really means
5.6.2 Helping your mentee to build confidence
5.7 Career transition mentoring
5.7.1 Using the GROW model for career transition mentoring
5.8 Intercultural mentoring
Case history 5.4 – A successful mentoring engagement in which a mentor is brought down to earth (Gus Hancock)
6. Mentor training and organisational mentoring schemes
6.1 Mentor training and supervision
6.2 An outline for an organisational mentoring scheme
Exercise 6.1 – Observed mentoring practice
References
Index
