Bulletin

2021

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Bulletin vol. 34 no. 1 | 23 Mentor-Mentee Relationship Sponsor-Protégé Relationship Mentee characteristics valued by mentors: • Enthusiasm/eagerness to learn • Persistent/tenacity/commitment • Flexibility/intuitive/creative • Independent thinker/showing initiative • General openness Protégé characteristics valued by sponsors: • Demonstrated ability to get things done • Independent drive/initiative • Professional competence • Getting along with others • Hard work/commitment • Honest/Integrity Mentee characteristics disliked by mentors: • Superficial interest • Argumentative/aggressive • Opportunistic • Know-it-all • Entitled • Unreliable Protégé characteristics disliked by sponsors: • Out for themselves • No follow through • Not listening to advice • Motivated for political purposes • Overly impressed with themselves Table 1. Mentee and protégé characteristics valued and disliked by mentors and sponsors (adopted from Hilsabeck, 2018) Recommendations and Resources for Obtaining Mentorship/Sponsorship • Take a proactive role in your search for a mentor. Hilsabeck (2018) found that most mentor-mentee relationships began with the mentee directly approaching the mentor. As such, it is strongly encouraged that you determine what you would like mentorship on, identify a potential mentor with the desired experience, and contact them. Great places to start your search include within your institution, practice, or community. It is also important to ask your division director or colleagues about formal mentorship programs within your institution. • Join and become involved in local and state psychological and neuropsychological organizations. This is a great opportunity to meet other psychologists in one's community with similar interests and experiences. We also recommend involvement in national and international organizations, through which mentor relationships with practitioners from across the world can be established. • If interested in becoming board certified, join the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN) mentorship program. Many of the mentors involved in this program have served as work sample reviewers or oral examiners, and actively practice clinical neuropsychology as opposed to being retired. https://theabcn.org/mentorship-program/ • Below are specific readings and resources to explore: - Introduction to Mentoring: A guide for Mentors and Mentees (APA 2006 Presidential Task Force) - The American Psychological Associations Centering on Mentoring - Zachary, L. J., & Fischler, L. A. (2009). The mentee's guide: Making mentoring work for you. John Wiley & Sons. - Prinstein, M. J., & Patterson, M. D. (Eds.). (2003). The portable mentor: Expert guide to a successful career in psychology. Kluwer Academic. - Roth, L. M. (2000). The champions project: a two-tiered mentoring approach to faculty development. Academic Medicine, 75(5), 553-554. Becoming a Mentor/Sponsor Empirically-based implementation of training on mentorship is lacking from graduate level programs across many disciplines, including psychology (Allen, Eby, Chao, & Bauer, 2017; Lane, 2008; Pfund, Pribbenow, Branchaw, Lauffer, & Handelsman, 2006). As such, the onus often falls upon the individual to take the initiative to develop their mentor prowess. This is particularly important because becoming a great mentor/sponsor requires a set of skills that are developed and honed over time. Recommendations to keep in mind include: • Be clear about the relationship from the beginning: Mentor- mentee relationships do not have to be life-long. It is important to openly discuss the goals and responsibilities of both the mentor and mentee in order to establish accurate expectations. • What works well for one individual, may not work well for others. Some mentors may find themselves trying to use strategies they worked well for them. It is recommended that mentors tailor their strategies to play off of the mentee's strengths and weaknesses, and intermittently re-assess the relationship to make sure the needs of both individuals are being met. • Find the balance between supporting and challenging your mentee: For many mentees, knowing they have a mentor in their corner can make certain stressful times more bearable. That being said, it is also important to know when to gently push a mentee out of their comfort zone. The better a mentor knows their mentee, the more accurate and effective their assessment of how to advise their mentee will be.

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