Many skills are required to be an effective mentor. The role of the mentor is to ‘support and encourage individuals to manage their own learning’, so that they can then develop their skills and improve their performance (Parsloe and Leedham, 2009). Mentees will have an understanding of theory, as well as hands-on experience, but need further support to improve their confidence and competence. It is important that mentors are self-aware of their interactions and relationships with their mentees and have the ability to examine their own emotional influences, experiences and world views.
Values and vision
The recommendations for leadership, as described in the Harvard Business Review (2011), can be adapted to mentorship. Clear values and vision can promote productive and harmonious working between the mentor and the mentee. Tomlinson (1995) stated that mentors are ‘reflective coaches.’ One's perception of learning will influence how they mentor (Hand, 2006). Furlong and Maynard (1995) classified three phases of mentoring based on the theoretical work of Clutterbuck (1985). These include apprenticeship, competency and reflection. This model is often used by mentors and is one which I use.
I believe the first meeting with a mentee provides an important opportunity to build the foundation of the relationship. A mentee will have a greater learning capacity and confidence if they feel accepted, respected and valued (Baumeister and Leary, 1995). I can still recall the first day of my placement as a student nurse. My mentor greeted me by saying, ‘not another student!’. My feelings mirrored the comments made by Stuart (2007), who stated that when a mentee is made to feel unwelcome, their ability to learn can be affected, as their hopes are reduced.
» Following the Nursing and Midwifery Council's code of conduct (2018), I ensure that I behave appropriately and maintain good character. Mentees need a role model, who is professional, approachable and willing to share their experiences to help them grow and develop «
As stated in the Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) code of professional practice (2018), nurses should ‘support students and colleagues’ learning’. Years later, I still find her behaviour unprofessional and childish as a mentor. This experience now guides my own approach when meeting mentees for the first time. What a mentor says and how they say it can have an impact on the mentee for the entirety of their relationship and even beyond it.
There is one mentor who has inspired and influenced my own values. This mentor is an experienced and well-regarded nurse. I believe she has helped define who I am today. She has always been approachable and has encouraged me to contact her for support. We have never had a formal agreement, but she continues to mentor me, with our relationship evolving over the years, adjusting to my new roles and needs. The qualities I admire most are her professionalism, reputation and the extent of her knowledge. She is honest but fair in her comments and feedback. This has shaped my own personal values for mentoring. Effective mentoring is a combination of acting as a source of information and encouraging learning and reflection. I try to use qualities such as honesty, truth, acceptance and the sharing of information to build relationships with my mentees (Rogers, 1951).
I want to be supportive to mentees, recognising that each of them will have their own learning style that needs to be facilitated. The key to successful mentoring is active listening, the removal of professional hierarchy and respecting one another to grow and gain confidence, both as mentor and mentee.
Mutual respect, mutual attraction and devoting time and energy were seen as the three fundamental requirements for successful mentorship (Darling, 1984). Darling (1984) also suggested that the mentor should innovate, inspire and support their mentees, which I aim to do. I want to inspire mentees in the same way my mentor has inspired me throughout my career. Following the NMC's code of conduct (2018), I ensure that I behave appropriately and maintain good character. Mentees need a role model, who is professional, approachable and willing to share their experiences to help them grow and develop.
Reflection and self-awareness in mentoring
Having an interest in the welfare of my mentees will promote learning (Wragg, 1984). Brookfield (1995) proposed four lenses of reflection: the autobiographical; the students’ eyes; our colleagues’ experiences; and theoretical literature. These lenses were adapted and used throughout to critically reflect on my role as a mentor and increase awareness from several different vantage points.
The autobiographical lens involves critical and self-reflection on one's teaching methods. It is important to reflect on mentoring experiences to identify areas that need strengthening or adjustment to be a more effective mentor. One example of this is when I have previously recorded myself during a session, so that I could review it and highlight areas for improvement. I also use my role model profile to remind myself of the skills that I would like to emulate in my mentorship. I am mindful that I need to maintain professional boundaries, as I would not want to compromise my assessment of that mentee (Wilkes, 2006).
I use the student lens to reflect on mentee feedback and comments. This helps me become more responsive to their needs. This lens can also aid in identifying my own mentoring habits that may need adjustment. I follow the recommendations made by Thomson (2014) and ask mentees questions, then have a discussion with them regarding their responses. I find this works well and helps to strengthen our trust, enhancing the mentor/mentee relationship. This allows me to develop my listening skills, so that I can remain neutral, even when I disagree with the feedback.
Brookfield (1995) suggests that it is also important to look to peers for mentoring, feedback and advice. This may highlight certain habits in mentoring styles or help solve mentoring problems. I feel more confident when I engage with other mentors through informal conversations, workshop participation, peer reviews and teaching awards. I feel it provides support and inspiration and improves motivation. I also discuss student feedback, which has previously highlighted areas that needed improvement.
I use the theoretical lens to research new scholarly literature on mentoring, which may assist in developing skills and contribute to more effective mentorship. It can help me address areas that require improvement following student feedback. It is important to keep my mentoring skills current and up to date.
Inference
I strongly believe that attitude, motivation and focus of the mentor are important (Levett-Jones et al, 2009). I need to be focused and mindful of what is going through my mind during mentorship sessions. Inference occurs when the mentor starts to think negatively, which can cause doubt and anxiety, impacting performance (Downey, 2003). It can be distracting and if I am not fully paying attention to the mentee, the individual may lose trust in me, damaging our relationship (Glen and Parker, 2003).
Thomson (2014) advised that mentors should prepare, identify and deal with inference as and when it occurs. I always ensure that mentorship sessions will not be disturbed. If I have previously mentored an individual, the session notes will be at hand. I appreciate that I should be mentally prepared, arriving early and taking some time for myself to clear my mind. However, this does not always happen. I travel to provide mentorship in clinics. If I am delayed, I might have to go straight into the session. This means that I have to refocus and be ready to give my full attention to the mentee immediately. In such instances, Thomson (2014) recommends using mindfulness techniques.
Plans for the future
Goleman (1998) established the fundamentals of emotional intelligence as ‘self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills’. My own strengths were identified as self-awareness, motivating oneself, empathy and social skills. The one area that needed some attention was managing emotions. To improve this, I ask for feedback from peers on how I handle difficult situations and respond to others’ emotions.
This reflection has helped me identify gaps in my role as a mentor that I would like to address in the future. I have never shared my values and vision with anyone but, moving forward, I will do so with my mentees. It may enhance our relationship and help us both decide if I am the right person for them to be working with. It might also be useful to share my values and vision with other mentors and discuss theirs. Altering teaching methods, documenting and setting goals all help in mentors becoming mentee-centred, flexible and innovative.
Barriers that may affect the role of a mentor include poor organisation and personality clashes (Gopee, 2008). When I mentored in the NHS, the main challenges were time constraints and the inability to adequately mentor alongside my clinical duties. In contrast, medical aesthetics mentorship is without time constraints, so the learning experience is maximised. The downside is that it can, on occasion, feel intense, which is emotionally demanding.
In summary
It is important to be an effective role model for mentees. The characteristics of a good role model include trustworthiness, being a knowledgeable and skilled clinician, being approachable and someone whose skills and traits the mentees would like to emulate (Morton-Cooper and Palmer, 2000). Ultimately, it is a rewarding and fulfilling experience when mentees are inspired by their mentors and go on to motivate others.