Neuronline Spotlight: Mentoring Resources

Successful mentoring relationships require building a strong foundation based on mutual trust, respect, and open communication. Both mentors and protégés are responsible for ensuring that they get the most out of their relationship.

The following members-only resources from Neuronline provide detailed and practical advice on how to best approach the mentoring dynamic. Make sure to visit Neuronline for additional resources on mentoring, as well as other professional development and scientific training topics.

Hear from experts on how to approach people for career guidance and form successful formal and informal mentoring relationships. For example:

• Think about what you want to get out of the mentoring relationship — what kind of advice are you seeking and why is this the right person to provide it?
• Make an appointment with the individual and prepare two or three clear questions so that there’s a high level of specificity to the conversation.
• Identify the mentoring style that works best to motivate you.

Familiarize yourself with these tips, provided by the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School, on how to communicate clearly, resolve situations, and set yourself up for success.

• Take the initiative to contact your mentor, discuss your situation, and share information you feel they should know.
• Talk to your mentor in-person, rather than by email or phone. This leads to more satisfactory results, as it ensures you have their full attention and receive prompt feedback.
• Develop a team of mentors for support. That way, if you run into an issue with one mentor, you can turn to another for guidance on how to proceed.

As a mentor, how can you inspire students and help them overcome unique challenges? Julio Ramirez, director of the neuroscience program at Davidson College, offers this advice:

• Become an effective mentor by first knowing yourself: What are your strengths and weaknesses and what kind of mentee are you best prepared to work with?
• Recognize that college students can be deeply affected by their role models and will look to you as an example of how a professional should behave.
• Know that high-quality mentorship includes promoting growth and psychosocial development, establishing a reciprocal relationship, facilitating the acquisition of important skills, and providing career opportunities.