Mentoring 101: Building a Mentoring Relationship This article is reprinted from the July WHAT MAKES A GOOD and offer constructive feedback directly. 2010 issue of the Journal of the MENTOR? it is equally essential that the mentor American Dietetic Association Very simply, a mentor provides guidance serve as a role model by setting and (2010;110(7):1002-1008). and counsel to someone who has less ex- meeting his or her own professional N TODAY'S ECONOMY, EMPLOYERS perience in a field. Relationships can be goals, valuing the opinions of others, and are looking to maximize effici spontaneous and informal, or strict and earning the respect of his or her peers.4 ency and employees are doing structured." A supervisor at an office who In The Helping Hand, the California Di- everything they can to demonstrate takes an interest in a younger worker's up- etetic Association's guide for dietetic men- their value. These complementary inter- ward mobility. a teacher taking extra time toring programs, several critical skills for ests create the fertile ground from which to help a student, or a family member who successful mentors are identified: successful mentoring, whether an orga- provides extra support to a relative are all Active listening nizational program or an individual rela- possible mentoring relationships.' In di- Identifying goals with respect to tionship, can grow. Those individuals etetics, a mentor is likely to be a senior col- current reality who take greater personal responsibility league or leader in your area of research or Building trust for their career development are the practice. Teresa Bush-Zurn, MA, RD, FADA, dietetic internship director for the VA San Encouraging and inspiring most likely to benefit from the guidance Diego Healthcare System and a former Providing corrective feedback of a mentor, and organizations looking to identify and retain their most valuable member of the American Dietetic Associa- Managing risks contributors stand to gain by providing tion's (ADA) Member Value Committee, Opening doors the opportunity for mentoring relation- says, "It helps to be able to talk to someone Instructing and developing capa- ships to flourish. In a field as diverse as in your own field, especially in relation to bilities dietetics, finding a mentor who under- specialties. A mentor can help a mentee by guiding them in the right direction or giv- Knowing oneself. stands your particular professional inter- ing them another perspective to an idea The Helping Hand also identifies the ests and career goals could be the key in- gredient in your career advancement. they had not thought of. I know I found my primary responsibility of a mentor as as- But before you can go about finding a own mentor when I began my career as a sisting mentees in developing their po- dietetic internship director. I called her a tential on both a personal and profes- mentor, it's essential to understand ex- actly what a mentor does, and how both lot. There is no class you can take to do this sional level, which "can be achieved by job; that's true for many specialties in our working to modify their perceptions, mentor and mentee can contribute to a profession. thinking, and behavior. One of the great- successful mentoring relationship. A good mentor can increase a mentee's est gifts a mentor can give to a mentee is chances for success by helping the men- an invitation to meet change as a friend. tee set and attain goals, introducing him This invitation calls on the mentor to or her to career advancement opportuni- act as model, counselor, confidante, To take the Continuing Professional Education ties, expanding the mentee's profes- teacher, advocate, and advisor."2 quiz for this article, log in to www.eatright.org, click the "myAcademy" link under your name at sional network, and bolstering his or her the top of the homepage, select "Journal Quiz" confidence. But what qualities make a THE ROLE OF THE MENTEE from the menu on your myAcademy page, click "Journal Article Quiz" on the next page, and good mentor? Professor David Meggin- Certainly a good mentor is critical to a then click the "Additional Journal CPE Articles" son of Sheffield Hallam University in mentee's success, but the mentoring re- button to view a list of available quizzes, from England says the fundamental responsi- lationship is far more collaborative than which you may select the quiz for this article. bility of a good mentor is to help the didactic, so the mentee must enter into it mentee make sense of his or her own ex- with a firm grasp of his or her own role periences. "It's not helpful simply to tell and responsibilities. The most basic re- Statement of Potential Conflict of Interest: somebody what to do," says Megginson. sponsibility of the mentee is choosing his The authors have no potential conflict of "What a skilled mentor is trying to do is or her mentor. Even in a formal mentor- interest to disclose. help the person become more self-suffi- ing program in which mentors and men- cient, not more reliant on the mentor."3 tees are matched by a third party or a In order to do so, a mentor must take a computerized matching system, it is first This article was written by Ryan Lip- personal interest in the mentoring rela- up to the mentee to determine which scomb, editor at the Journal, and tionship, bringing a positive attitude and qualities he or she most values in a men Susie An, a freelance writer in Chi- an enthusiasm for ongoing learning and tor. Establishing your goals for the rela- cago, IL. growth in the field he or she shares with tionship, determining how a mentor can doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2013.02.010 the mentee. While it is important to best help you, and outlining what you share skills, knowledge, and expertise want to learn is another key step in iden-tifying the type of person with whom vou'll work best. While some people place a greater value on developing a friendly, easy-going relationship, others may make specific knowledge or techni- cal skills a higher priority.\" Once the relationship begins, the men- tee should be the proactive partner, taking on the responsibility of contacting the mentor, making appointments, and com- municating his or her goals to the mentor \"the more self-reliant the mentee, the greater the success of the partnership.\"\" It is also important for the mentee to make the mentor feel comfortable in offering the sort of constructive criticism that makes the relationship valuable. I your mentor doesn't know you very well, he or she may be hesitant to offer advice for fear of hurt- ing your feelings. Take the lead by asking for the mentor's input on specific areas for improvement, and be sure to really listen to what your mentor has to say. Advice that may seem less relevant at the moment it is given often becomes pertinent in the fu- ture, and feedback to which you might ini- tially react negatively can prove valuable on further reflection. The most important skill for a mentee to possess is the ability to learn quickly. Linda Phillips-Jones, PhD, author of The Mentor- ing Program Coordinator's Guide, recom- mends observing both your mentor and others and learning from their actions, studying materials related to your devel- opmentarea,and reporting to your mentor on your success in applying the knowledge and skills he or she has presented to you.\" By keeping the mentor current on goals reached and those that still remain, the mentee takes a leadership role in the man- agement of the relationship and estab- lishes the criteria that will be used to de- cide when it should come to anend. THE MENTORING PROCESS Because each person's experience, person- ality, and professional development goals are different, every mentoring relationship is unique. However, there are some basic elements that are common to the process no matter who is involved. One of the most important is the first meeting between mentor and mentee, which can setthe tone for the entire relationship to follow. In this first meeting, both parties should take the time to get to know each other, share infor- mation about their backgrounds, and es- tablish a foundation of trust. Simply be- coming acquainted and developing a rapport is a critical first step toward a suc- cessful mentoring relationship. While they are getting to know each other, both the mentor and mentee should discuss their goals and sketch out a framework for fu- ture interactions that ensures both are ac- tively involved in and engaged by the men- toring process.\" \"A poorly planned and unstructured mentoring relationship can be a waste of time,"\" so the next steps in the process include specifically defining the roles for both mentor and mentee, agreeing on a meeting schedule and format, and clari- fying any communication preferences or limitations.\" First, both parties should agree on a regular meeting schedule and structure. Meeting more frequently at the beginning of the relationship can help to build momentum toward the mentee's goals, while also serving as a trial period to determine whether the re- lationship is on the right track. Establish- ing a specific time frame for these initial meetings after which it will be decided whether to end or continue the relation- ship can help minimize any misunder- standings or acrimony associated with either individual choosing to part com- pany.\" In addition to setting the meet- ing schedule, the parameters of the indi- vidual meetings themselves should be determined. One recommended struc- ture includes \"a social opening, followed by agenda negotiation, goal setting, dis- cussion of two to three topics, and a closing, including a summary and plans for the next 2 to 4 weeks,\" but meetings can be as formal or informal as the par- ticipants wish, as long as they are effec- tive. At this point, the pair should also establish the mentor's availability out- side of meetings and determine each person's preferred mode of communi- cation (eg, face-to-face, by phone, via e-mail).\" With the logistical details taken care of, the mentoring partners are ready to dis- cuss the mentee's goals and how to achieve them, and to develop \"concrete measures of progress and success.\" Once goals are set, specific development objectives on the path toward reaching those goals can be defined, and activities selected to achieve the objectives.\" The Helping Hand provides mentors with sev- eral suggested activities: Have the mentee \"shadow\" or observe the mentor or another professional Talk about what it takes to get ahead, generally and in specific terms Talk about personal values, espe- cially as they dictate orinfluence be- havior and decision making Talk about the value of networking and introduce the mentee to people who can help him or her + locate appropriate courses, semi- nars, or professional meetings; se- lect and jointly attend Suggest or provide relevant reading material Checkinbetween meetings via tele- phone or e-mail Arrange for meetings with other mentors and mentees.\" It is also recommended that both mentor and mentee keep arecord of the mentee's activities and progress. At each meeting, the mentee should pro- vide the mentor with an update on his or her progress since the last meeting, ask any questions he or she may have about how to complete an objective, and find out what needs to be accom- plished before the next meeting.\"\" This process of setting objectives and measuring progress toward the mentee's overall development goals will be the dominant mode of interaction for most of the mentoring relationship, but how long should this process last? There is no defin- itive answer to this question because it is different for every mentoring partnership. Both the ability of the mentee and the fre- quency of meetings influence how quickly development goals may be achieved. Kathy E. Kram, PhD, author of Mentoring at Work: Developing Relationships in Organiza- tional Life, suggests arange of 1 to 2 years as \"long enough for some meaningful coach- ing, but not so long that individuals are re- luctant to commit."' One way to gauge the progress of the mentoring relationship is by periodically using an evaluation form (Figure). This can be a valuable tool for coming to a mutual understanding of the mentoring relationship's strengths and weaknesses. It also helps to keep track of achievements and objectives and tracks progress toward the mentee's ultimate goals, No matter how long it may take, as the relationship progresses and the mentee nears completion of his or her goals, the time will come to contemplate bringing the mentoring partnership to an end. Even if the relationship continues to be fulfilling to both partners, changes in the mentee's career path may necessitate a change in mentor, especially if a different area of ex- Hand: A Guide for Dietetic Mentoring MENTORING EVALUATION FORM Programs. Playa del Rey, CA: California Dietetic Association; 2003. Mentor's Name: 3. Tutton M. Learn from the best: Working with a mentor. CNN.com Web site. http:// Mentee's Name: edition.cnn.com/2009/BUSINESS/11/20/ mentor.career.development/. Accessed Date ofi nitiation: Today's date: March 10, 2010. 4. Loretto P. Top 10 qualities of a good mentor. Answer the following questions about your mentoring relationship: About.com Web site. http://internships. about.com/od/internships101/tp/Ment 1. What are your goals for this mentoring relationship? Qualities.htm. Accessed March 10, 2010. 5. College of DuPage. Soaring to Excellence 2. How are you working to achieve these goals? 2004: Teleconference 3: Mentoring Basics. College of DuPage Web site. http://www. 3. What objectives have been accomplished up to this point? cod.edu/teleconf/soaring/teleconference3/ mentoringbasics.htm. Accessed March 4. What is/are the current objective(s)? 10, 2010. 6. American Physiological Society. Guide for 5. What objectives remain to be addressed in future meetings? Mentees. American Physiological Society Web site. http://www.the-aps.org/careers/ 6. What has been your greatest challenge up to this point? careers 1/mentor/guide-mentee.htm. Ac- cessed March 10, 2010. 7. What outside resources are needed to achieve your remaining objectives? 7. A Proven Process for Successful Mentoring. MediaPro Web site. www.mediapro. 8. How would you describe your mentoring relationship? What are its strengths com/mentor/mentoring/A%20Proven%20 Process%20for%20Successful%20Mentoring. and weaknesses? pdf. Accessed March 10, 2010. 8. Zerzan JT, Hess R, Schur E, Phillips RS, Rig- 9. What, if anything, would you change about your mentoring relationship? otti N. Making the most of mentors: A guide for mentees. Acad Med. 2009:84: 10. What has been your most valuable learning experience up to this point? 140-144. 9. Lakoski JM. Perspective: Top 10 tips to Figure. Mentoring evaluation form. maximize your mentoring. Clinical and Translational Science Network. Science pertise is needed." At this point, it is best to from their mentees and enhance their pro- Magazine Web site. http://sciencecareers. sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_ schedule a formal ending of the relation- fessional standing by demonstrating their issues/articles/2009_08_14/caredit.a0900101. ship, rather than letting it continue indefi- influence and cultivating outstanding con- Accessed March 10, 2010. nitely until it loses its value due to lack of tributors to their organization and profes- 10. Simmons K. Growing a successful mentor focus or withers from inactivity. An official sion. "Finally, organizations that encour- program. ASAE & the Center for Associa final meeting allows the mentee to reflect age mentoring reap its rewards by tion Leadership Web site. www. asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources/article on his or her goals, celebrate accomplish- increasing both employee performance detail.cfm?itemnumber=13187. Accessed ments, and plan for the future. It also pro- and loyalty. " For associations like the March 10, 2010. vides a sense of closure for both partners American Dietetic Association, members 11. Schatz PE, Bush-Zurn TJ, Ceresa C. and eases the transition into a less formal who have been mentored are more likely Caldwell Freeman K. California's profes- sional mentoring program: How to de- relationship. to become active participants in the associ- velop a statewide mentoring program. J ation and future leaders of the profes- Am Diet Assoc. 2003;103:73-76 THE BENEFITS OF MENTORING sion. 13 12. Guidelines for mentors. Professional Devel- At the end of a successful mentoring rela- In next month's Journal, we'll con- opment Forum Online. ASAE & the Center tionship, everyone involved has benefitted clude our series on mentoring with an for Association Leadership Web site. http:// www.asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources from the partnership. Most obviously, the exploration of how technology has ex- eNewsletterArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber= mentee has developed professional skills, ponentially increased the mentoring 5113&nltype=165. Accessed March 10. opportunities available to both men- 2010. increased confidence, and expanded his or her professional network. The mentor also tors and mentees and take an in-depth 13. Sharp Profozich A, Bowling A. Retaining your members with mentoring. Compo- stands to gain from the relationship, both look at the costs and benefits of both nent Relations. ASAE & the Center for As- personally and professionally. Mentors traditional and electronic mentoring. sociation Leadership Web site. http:// have reported that they find the experi- www.asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources/ eNewsletterArticleDetail.cfm?itemnumber= ence of helping guide a colleague's career References 1010&nltype=165. Accessed August 27. rewarding, that receiving positive feed- 1. MENTOR/National Mentors Partnership. 2008. back from mentees is meaningful, and that How to build a successful mentoring pro- 14. Mentoring for Success. ASAE & the Center working with an enthusiastic mentee can gram using the elements of effective practice. Mentor Web site. http://www. for Association Leadership Web site. http:// inspire them to greater heights in their www.asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources/ mentoring.org. Accessed April 30, 2009. articledetail.cfm?ItemNumber=13196. Ac- own work. 2 Mentors can also learn 2. Caldwell-Freeman K, ed. The Helping cessed March 28, 2009Pay It Forward: Mentoring Takes Personal Growth to Next Level Whether you are a student or a seasoned member, mentoring relationships are an important part of lifelong learning, career development, and personal growth for all of us. Mentoring takes textbook knowledge to the next level by broadening mentees' insights, developing important \"soft\" interpersonal skills, building networks, and practicing career- building leadership behaviors. All this is done through the perspective of a respected colleague and role model who is willing to share his or her viewpoints, experiences, empathy, honesty, and time. It is not just for students or young members. It is for all of us. | have mentored students, interns, and practitioners. It costs nothing but the courage to ask to be mentored and the good will to take the time to help a colleague. Mentors in turn can benefit personally and professionally through leadership development, broadening of perspectives and personal satisfaction from contributing to the success of others, to name a few. Mentoring is an essential step in the development of members, our profession's diversity and in- clusivity, and our organization's future. The Academy's Mentor Match program connects you with a mentor or mentee who fits your areas of interest, as well as your communication style and availability. And there are other valuable methods of connecting and mentoring, such as the mastermind approach. I have been fortunate to have many mentors, formal as well as informal. As a young dietitian, | was greatly influenced by one of my chief clinical dietitians, who demonstrated her fortitude, persistence, and commitment to the staff when representing our needs to our department head. | have valued those attributes ever since. As a hospital foodservice director, it was rare when my assessment of monthly operations or budget proposals was accepted on the first presentation to my chief executive of- ficer. Each time I returned to the chief executive officer's of- fice, |1 learned to open my eyes to new perspectives and processes and to give up on my attempt for perfection. The Mastermind Approach Caroline Passerello, MS, RD, LDN, moderated a session at the 2020 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo virtual event on \"Mastering Mastermind Meetings. FNCE attendees can view this session on demand until October 2021. Passerello explains the During my years as an Academy volunteer, I participated as both a mentor and mentee in a formal program organized by the House of Delegates. | credit these experiences with helping me mature into the leader | am today. At my first House of Delegates meeting as a Texas delegate, my mentor asked me to be the table scribe and verbally report out to the 106 members of the House. mastermind approach to establishing and maximizing re- lationships such as mentoring: Many RDNs pilot a research study or new business idea to ensure it aligns with their intended mission or goal of an organization. | suggest you take your personal goals and missions just as seriously. A mastermind group is a great way to pilot test new ideas or plans for your per- sonal and professional growth. Being part of a mastermind group is like having a board of advisors and focus group panel all in one. These people will tell you what works and what does not. They will push for your success, be interested in hearing new ideas about where you are headed and will check in with you to hear about your progress. All of this is only possible if you share the goals and plans you have made. Why is sharing important? Consider (TS & ) [ Leading up to a big presentation, anyone who knows you are presenting (boss, neighbor, mom) may say: \"You've got this, you'll do great, they're lucky to have you.\" A member of your mastermind group may say something like: \"You will present such a meaningful message because your delivery is so authentic, and they will benefit from your ability to connect with an audience. You may want to speak slowly; | know you can talk fast when you are excited.\" Both responses have the same idea, but one is much more specific, helpful, and inspiring because it is targeted; that person could give such a specific message because he or she really knows you. That person is part of a group with whom you can be vulnerable; that vulnerability enables you to be fully present in the group. Taking this approach to mentorship may yield more targeted feedback and accelerated personal growth. You may already be in a mastermind mentorship relationship and just not call it by that name! PRACTICE APPLICATIONS Mentor Match: Sharing and Connecting Christine Palumbo, MBA, RDN, FAND, has mentored approximately 50 students, interns and young pro- fessionals in her careermore than any member who participates in the Academy's Mentor Match program | ) \"l joined Mentor Match in 2012 as a way to share what I've learned from the school of hard knocks with those looking for advice,\" Palumbo RIS it. | enjoy virtually meeting members from around I enjoy 'hearing' the light bulbs go off when we talk. | enjoy knowing I've made a huge difference in a younger person's life.\" Palumbo's most recent mentee is Jinan Banna, PhD, iate professor of human nutrition, food and animal sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. \"l used Mentor Match to connect because | have been engaging in entrepreneurial activities lately and saw that Christine has had great success with writing for various publications, speaking and other activities,\" Banna says. \"We interact by phone every few weeks. Christine an- swers my questions and holds me accountable for the tasks we discuss s a result of our interaction, I have put marketing ies into place, joined additional professional groups nterest, and even learned how to make a pumpkin spice latte in a novel way (of great in- terest to my readers),\" Banna says. Palumbo says: \"While | don't know all the solutions, | try to ask the right questions to help me understand the challenges mentees face. | am always honest, too, about where they can improve or their chances of e Through that experience, | learned to confront my self- doubt and trust my authenticity. Not only did | develop confidence in my ability to speak before my peers, but I learned that respectful disagreement is vital to fierce con- versations, understanding others' perspectives and progress toward change. When | became a mentor to other delegates, | shared these experiences and encouraged my mentees to have confidence, ask questions, stand up and speak out. As president-elect, | sought the mentoring of former Academy presidents and others, which benefited me greatly. I found there was still more to learn about communications, culture, accountability, time management, and enjoyment of the experiences. | am now mentoring our president-elect, Kevin Sauer, PhD, RDN, LD, FAND, and other board members so they can benefit from my experiences and perspectives. Speaking especially to those who have been mentored, either formally or informally: Now is the time to pay it for- ward. When you are ready to further enhance your perfor- mance, engagement, or career opportunities, reach out and ask to be mentored. Leveraging another's experience and skills can be transformational. In addition to the Mentor Match program, the Academy offers many resources for mentors and mentees alike. They include Journal articles, blog postings, articles in the Student Scoop news- letter, and many more. Visit https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2020.10.029