Mentoring Program Orientation

Nyama Marsh

Director, Whitefish Bay Public Library (WI)

Outline • The LLAMA Mentoring Program

• Mentoring

• 2016-2017 Duos

• Expectations and Benefits

• Resources

• Best Practices

• Challenges

• Q and A

• References

llamamentoring@gmail.com

Mentoring

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Mentoring is a collaborative, mutually beneficial partnership between a

Mentor (who possesses greater skills, knowledge and experience) and a

Mentee (who is looking to increase his or her skills, knowledge and

experience).

llamamentoring@gmail.com

LLAMA Mentoring Program …is designed to encourage and nurture current and future

leaders and to develop and promote outstanding

leadership and management practices

llamamentoring@gmail.com

2016-2017 LLAMA Mentoring

56 Duos

2016-17

30 Duos

2015-16

Purple =

Mentees

Green =

Mentors

2016-2017 LLAMA Mentoring

Around the World

Characteristics of this Year’s Duos

Mentors Mentees

Academic 51% 57%

Public 45% 34%

Special 0% 6%

School 4% 4%

Areas of Interest - Mentees

Areas of Interest - Mentors

5 Keys to Successful Mentoring 1. Communicate

2. Communicate

3. Communicate

4. Communicate

5. Communicate!

llamamentoring@gmail.com

Successful Duos Get along well together

Mutually respect each other

Are committed to the relationship

Develop and agree upon a structure that includes:

Length (1 year for our purposes)

Frequency

Place of meetings

Regular review of progress and development

Understand motives and objectives

Give each other permission to try things

Maintain an optimistic outlook

llamamentoring@gmail.com

Essential Attributes for Successful Outcomes Ability to listen, openness, and commitment

Time management/ self management skills

Assertiveness, realism, discretion

Knowledgeable, or able to find

Challenging, analytical, and evaluating

Ability to change and accept change

Motivated and able to demonstrate leadership

Able to identify opportunities

Honest, and able to give constructive advice

Peterson, 2005: Northern Territory Office, 1998

Drive your mentoring experience Manage how and what you learn

Build on strengths

Surpass comfort limits

Make the partnership a cornerstone

Let your mentor know your aims and how you feel you are progressing

Revisit growth goals periodically and set new directions as you achieve

initial targets

Solicit feedback from your mentor

Be introspective: ask how you impact others

Provide your mentor feedback on how to help you best

Perrone and Ambrose, 2005

Expectations of the Mentee

Expectations of the Mentor Excellence

Affirmation

Sponsorship

Be a teacher and coach

Encourage and support

Offer counsel

Protect when necessary

Stimulate growth with challenging assignments

Provide exposure/ visibility

Nurture creativity

Narrate growth and development

Self disclosure when appropriate

Teach faceting

Be an intentional model

Display dependability Johnson and Ridley, 2004

Benefits to the Mentor Learning

Opportunity to practice good developmental behaviors outside

direct line of responsibilities

Self awareness

Greater understanding of other areas of librarianship and / or other

cultures

Clutterbuck, 2003

Clarity

Non-threatening/Supportive environment

Improved networking

Practical advice

Opportunity to be challenged

Transfer of knowledge

Having a role model

Clutterbuck, 2003

Benefits to the Mentee

LLAMA Mentoring Committee Provide an enriching and valuable opportunity for

all parties

Communicate regularly

Offer solutions if duos are experiencing challenges

Ensure and maintain confidentiality

Seek your opinions via midway and final surveys

llamamentoring@gmail.com

Participant Checklist Complete the mentor or mentee agreement forms

Consistently contribute to the duo relationship and

the program

Communicate regularly with one another

Ensure and maintain confidentiality

Communicate challenges to the committee

Complete surveys and feedback

Sidenote: Attend LLAMA soiree at ALA conferences.

llamamentoring@gmail.com

Resources First meeting tool for mentors and mentees

Meeting tool, to help guide meetings

Twelve habits of the toxic mentor

Twelve habits of the toxic mentee

Other articles

A recording of this orientation

List of potential discussion topics

These materials were sent via email on July 25 from

llamamentoring@gmail.com. If you did not receive

them, please email that address asap.

Best Practices: Email Be compulsive about regularly scheduled contacts

Pay attention to confidentiality

Discuss response time expectations

Send short, newsy emails

Always include your contact information

Decide together on email enhancements

Phillips-Jones, 2003

Best Practices: Phone Set up regularly scheduled meetings

Remove distractions

Call or be ready on time

Have an agenda, talking points, and questions

when you begin

Take notes or use the meeting form

Mentees send a summary of agreements

Make and receive spontaneous calls

Use voicemail for information encouragement and

appreciation

Phillips-Jones, 2003

Distance Mentoring Challenges Are you asking questions?

Are you communicating what you need?

Are you responding? (vacation? New job? Life happens?)

Did you change your contact info?

Be open and honest! Don’t be intimidated.

If something is not working for you, let your partner know.

llamamentoring@gmail.com

Challenges Continued Figure out what works best for you and your partner – there is no

right or wrong way

Stay organized

Talk with the liaison team – let us know how you are doing.

llamamentoring@gmail.com

Questions?

You may also email questions to

llamamentoring@gmail.com at any time.