Mentoring

Mentoring is a form of one-to-one support where a more experienced colleague uses their knowledge, skills and connections to help someone with their current and future challenges. Mentoring is defined as being concerned with ‘growing an individual’, both professionally and personally. A mentor is often described as a “critical friend” or “supportive challenger,” because they have a role in helping people become more self-aware and to take responsibility for solving their own problems. They may be able to help with general professional and career advice or may have particular expertise that is relevant to the mentee’s situation. Mentors, as well as acting as a sounding board and offering impartial feedback, are experienced professionals who are willing and able to help others and who use their own professional experiences to help steer and support the learner (or “mentee”). The mentoring process should be a confidential, learning partnership between two people aimed at building the capacity of the mentee.

Both parties take equal responsibility for the progression of the mentoring: the key task for a mentor is to support the mentee in identifying and clarifying their development needs while the mentee’s role is to seek to address them. The relationship will normally be outside any current hierarchical relationship (e.g. that between a manager and member of staff, or between a research group leader and research group member).

As a mentor, you will have the opportunity to:

• Share valuable knowledge based on your own experience
• Develop your coaching, communication and leadership skills
• Improve your understanding of issues and barriers experienced by newcomers
• Motivate and support someone to fulfil their potential
• Help someone in your field put their skills and experience to work
• Participation in the mentoring scheme will be recognised in the PDP process under ‘citizenship’ and in PDR objectives.

How will I be helping my mentee?

As a mentor, you are able to help your mentee by:

• Improving their knowledge and skills
• Providing advice as a guide to successful job preparedness
• Acting as a confidante – a personal and professional sounding board
• Sharing your networks and professional contacts
• Supporting your mentee to develop and maintain greater confidence and well-being
• Helping them to realise their full potential and progress their career
• Providing improved performance and productivity

The benefits of having a mentor are:

• Mentors, as well as acting as a sounding board and offering impartial feedback, are experienced professionals who are willing and able to help others and who use their own professional experiences to help steer and support the mentee.
• Mentoring helps the mentee to explore their ideas, problems and opportunities; it can be particularly useful in situations where people feel there is a block to progress, a problem that keeps recurring or an opportunity they cannot work out how to exploit.
• Mentoring is of particular value for staff who are developing in new roles or who wish to develop themselves beyond their current role. Mentoring can also be beneficial for those in need of some expert insight and help during times of change or challenge.
• Mentoring has been identified as a key tool in providing a supportive environment to staff, in particular, it is recommended to improve engagement with under-represented groups.
• Becoming a mentee should be included as an objective and recognised in staff PDRs.

The mentor and mentee should respect each other’s time and other responsibilities, ensuring that they do not impose beyond what is reasonable. The frequency, length, and venue for meetings are mutually agreed, along with the level and means of contact between meetings. It is suggested the partnership last for an agreed time period, whereupon both parties can review the relationship and development objectives to take a decision whether to continue or to terminate the arrangement in a phased approach. Both mentor and mentee have shared responsibility for winding down the partnership once it has achieved its purpose.

A mentor can expect to take on a number of roles within the mentoring relationship involving a range of skills and behaviours. Which role the mentor adopts at any time will depend on the needs of the mentee and the situation, but could include, sounding board, facilitator, adviser, coach, source of organisational knowledge.

Mentors will be expected to:

Key roles & responsibilities of the mentor

• Undertake mentoring training.
• Be a more experienced member of staff
• Not be involved in the mentee’s day to day management
• Have the relevant skills to support the mentoring relationship by undertaking mentoring training as outlined in the guidance
• Be committed to the University’s equality and diversity principles
• Provide the mentoring program with details on their professional background and information needed for program delivery and matching purposes
• Meet with mentee when agreed
• Establish and build on rapport throughout the relationship
• Agree and keep to a mentoring contract
• Manage time commitments
• Diagnose the needs of the mentee and agree on priorities (driven by the learner)
• Improve the mentees breadth of knowledge and skills
• Share a broader perspective of the organisation, culture, strategy
• Help mentees to articulate their aspirations and then realise their potential
• Prompt mentees to draw up their own personal development plans
• Provide contacts/networks for them to follow up
• Recognise and celebrate achievements
• Confront and reflect on positive and less positive behaviours/actions
• Encourage the mentee to think beyond the obvious
• Prompt them to keep their Line Manager involved as much as possible
• Encourage and motivate the mentee
• Initiate reviews of progress at regular intervals
• Identify when the relationship may need to close
• Manage feelings/emotions when closing formal relationship
• Be open and honest at all times
• Not discuss with line Manager

Mentors might achieve objectives through a range of complementary processes and approaches, such as:

• Using reflective questioning to both consider barriers and ascertain solutions;
• Exploring with the mentee a range of ideas and methods of working;
• Challenging assumptions;
• Acting as a sounding board;
• Referring the mentee to other sources of information;
• Dealing sensitively with beliefs, capabilities, aspirations and learning styles;
• Creating an open and relaxed relationship to build confidence and trust that will enhance the learning process;
• Providing guidance;
• Celebrating success.

Effective mentoring involves both supporting and challenging the mentee. The mentor does not act on behalf of the mentee. It is the mentee’s responsibility to take action and, where relevant, the mentor’s to assist the mentee in reaching decisions about action and/or reflect upon the consequences of such action. Any matters discussed between the mentor and mentee are confidential.

Mentors are not there to:

• Make decisions for the individual seeking advice or ‘fix’ their situation;
• Take action for the mentee against another party;
• Mediate or negotiate for their mentee (staff can access the Mediation Service)
• Provide counselling (staff can access counselling via the Occupational Health Service and also via Care First).

Key roles & responsibilities of the mentee

• Meet with a mentor when agreed to
• Define and agree on expectations for the relationship
• Agree how best to manage the mentoring contract (mentee in control)
• Commit to completing agreed development tasks i.e. creating a PDP
• Access other sources of advice and information as appropriate
• Share information about their strengths, development needs, ambitions etc openly with their mentor
• Take responsibility for drawing up their own personal development plans
• Take responsibility for appropriate contact with line managers about development issues
• Initiate their own development and make the most of learning opportunities
• Be open and honest
• Ensure the confidentiality, as agreed with mentor
• Keep the line manager informed, as appropriate

Effective mentoring involves both supporting and challenging the mentee. The mentor does not act on behalf of the mentee. It is the mentee’s responsibility to take action and, where relevant, the mentor’s to assist the mentee in reaching decisions about action and/or reflect upon the consequences of such action. Any matters discussed between the mentor and mentee are confidential.

Mentors are not there to:

• Make decisions for the individual seeking advice or ‘fix’ their situation;
• Take action for the mentee against another party;
• Mediate or negotiate for their mentee;
• Provide counselling (staff can access counselling via the Occupational Health Service and also via Care First).

It is important to remember that whilst One Step Beyond mentors are available to provide general advice and guidance, the University has developed specific services to support staff and/or students who are experiencing particular issues, for example, bullying, harassment and/or discrimination. We have highlighted some useful resources mentees can access in our guidance on what further support is available.

Key roles & responsibilities of Scheme Co-ordinator/ Admin

• To ensure the smooth running of the scheme
• To ensure senior/top management commitment
• The formal link between all interested parties
• Managing the publicity for the scheme
• Managing the recruitment of mentors and proteges/mentees
• Gaining agreement from senior managers for their support/commitment
• Gaining agreement from Line Managers for their support/involvement – brief managers
• Arranging initial briefings and follow up support for both mentors and mentees
• Ensure the criteria for mentor selection is very open and available to all
• Ensure mentors and mentees are clear about their roles
• Organise induction for everyone involved and specific training for mentors
• Maintain the database of all involved
• Administering the matching process and any reassignments that might be needed
• Ensuring the programme is regularly monitored and reviewed, to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of the programme
• Managing the associated budgets and quality control processes
• Being the public face of the programme to audiences inside and outside the organisation
• To provide a ‘ready ear’ to all participants to ensure productive relationships
• Review best practice and use benchmarked good practice for redesigning scheme
• To demonstrate return on investment to key stakeholders/senior managers

It is estimated that it would take 1 full day per week, to co-ordinate and maintain 20 mentoring pairs.

Key roles and responsibilities of the Line Manager

• Allow mentees to attend mentoring sessions
• Provide reasonable support for the development of the mentee
• Not talk to the mentor about the mentee
• Be clear about the distinctions between managing and mentoring

When our new mentoring platform launches, you can apply for the appropriate mentoring scheme by completing an online application form for the scheme of your choosing.

Please stand by for details of how our new mentoring platform will match you.

Can I mentor more than one mentee?

Mentors are able to take on a maximum of four mentees at one time.

Should the same person be both Mentor and Supervisor to the Mentee?

No. The relationship will normally be outside any current hierarchical relationship (e.g. that between a manager and member of staff, or between a research group leader and research group member).

I'm nearing the end of my mentoring relationship, can I mentor again?

It would be wonderful if you could assist another mentee. Repeat mentors bring the added value of learning and experience from their previous relationships. Even if you are not able to remain a part of the scheme immediately following the relationship, please contact the mentor scheme coordinator to arrange to indicate when/if you expect to be available for mentoring again, and your re-entry onto the mentoring database can be arranged accordingly.

Can I opt out of the mentoring scheme?

Participation in the mentoring scheme is entirely voluntary. Mentors and Mentees can contact the mentor scheme coordinator to arrange to be removed from the mentoring database and contact lists. You should indicate to the Mentor Scheme Coordinator when/if you expect to be available for mentoring again, so your re-entry into the mentoring database can be arranged accordingly.

Can I still register in the Mentoring Scheme even if I’m too busy to mentor at this time?

Yes, you can register at any time to become a mentor in the program. If you would like to mentor at a later date, please indicate your preferred start date when you register.

Can I be matched with someone from a different discipline?

Yes. Our mentoring schemes are a cross-college/professional services mentoring scheme and mentors can request to be matched with mentees from within any discipline based on their requirements.

The data you provide in your application form will be only be used by the University of Exeter and our software provider in relation to your participation on the scheme or programme to which your application form belongs, and will not be shared with any other organisations or used for any other purpose. Both the software provider and the mentoring scheme organiser are bound by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to keep your data secure and to maintain your privacy.

The University of Exeter and scheme organiser will use of your data in line with our Staff data privacy notice here.

Mentors should book on and attend the earliest possible University Mentoring skills training.

At the start of a mentoring partnership (as part of your first meeting), it is essential to discuss mutual expectations and establish a set of ground rules as to how the relationship will be conducted. This will ensure that the relationship develops effectively and your needs are met. Find more resources in the accordion below.

Resources

• Mentoring Handbook
• Coaching/Mentoring Contract Checklist to help guide your conversation.
• Top Tips for Mentoring 
• Mentoring Skills Skillbook
• Alternatively, search the numerous resources on LearnSmart.

Additional Resources for Academic Staff

• Watch Vitae’s ‘Will getting a mentor boost your career’ hangout video.
• Vitae has developed a range of new resources to support those who manage and mentor researchers as part of their role. If you have responsibility for supporting research staff or students in their professional and career development we think you will find something to interest you.
• Guidance for Research Directors and PIs to support successful career conversations with members of research staff.

Additional Reading

• Heron's 6 categories of intervention
• Plous, S. (1993) The Psychology of Judgement and Decision-Making. London: McGraw-Hill.
• Berne, Eric. (1964). The games people play. Penguin.
• Transactional Analysis
• An example of foundation NLP: Molden, D. (1996). Managing with the power of NLP. London: Pitman.
• Navarro, J. (2008) What every body is saying. Harper Collins.
• Brown, D. (2007). Tricks of the mind. Channel 4 books.
• Golman, D. (1995) Emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam books.
• Howard-Jones, P. & McGurk, J. (2014). Fresh thinking in learning and development Part 1 of 3: Neuroscience and learning. CIPD: Research Report. London.
• Watkins and Mhor (2001), Appreciative Inquiry: Change at the Speed of Imagination. Jossey-Bass, Pfieffer.
• Richardson, L & St Pierre, E. (2005). Writing: A method of inquiry In N. Denzin & Y. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research (3rd ed., pp. 959-978). London: Sage
• Megginson, D. and Clutterbuck, D. (2014). Techniques for coaching and mentoring. London: Routledge.
• Alred, G. Garvey, B. and Smith, R (1998). The Mentoring Pocketbook. Management Pocketbooks.
• Allen, J. (2004). Revealing the power of mentoring. The Centre for mentoring. (I think this is out of print but Amazon has copies for sale still).

Contract checklist

Being an effective mentor checklist

• Set aside enough time for each mentoring session;
• Help mentees to express and discuss ideas and any concerns affecting their experience in the workplace;
• Give mentees information and advice that will help them to be effective in the workplace;
• Give mentees opportunities which help them understand and adapt to the working environment;
• Identify ways of developing mentees’ confidence in performing activities in the workplace;
• Help mentees take increasing responsibility for developing their skills in the workplace;
• Help mentees look at issues from an unbiased point of view that helps them make informed choices;
• Give mentees honest and constructive feedback;
• Identify when the mentoring relationship needs to change to still be effective, and agree on any changes with the mentee;
• Identify when the mentoring relationship has reached its natural end and review the process with the mentee;
• Agree what, if any, extra support and help the mentee needs or can access;
• Plan how any extra support and help can be provided.

Being an effective mentee checklist – use prior to the first meeting

• Contact your prospective mentor(s) explaining your mentoring needs using the mentoring pro forma;
• If a positive answer is received, exchange phone numbers, email information, office hours;
• Update and send CV or other relevant documents to your mentor prior to each meeting (if felt relevant to enhance your discussions);
• Review your mentee application form checklist and prepare to discuss the topics listed;
• Prepare questions and other topics to address with a mentor;
• Schedule a time for the first meeting with the mentor

Both parties take equal responsibility for the progression of the mentoring: the key task for a mentor is to support the mentee in identifying and clarifying their development needs while the mentee’s role is to seek to address them. Open communication is the key to any good relationship. Throughout the mentoring relationship, you should be speaking with your mentor about whether or not you are fulfilling the joint goals set out at the beginning of your partnership and clarify expectations. You will be asked to provide feedback on your progress and experience throughout the mentoring relationship.

Who do I contact if I have any concerns or problems regarding my mentor/mentee?

Throughout the mentoring process, you should be speaking with your mentor about your shared progress in fulfilling the goals set at the beginning of the relationship. It is natural, however, that not all relationships will be perfect. If you are in a situation where you would like guidance or are experiencing conflict, please contact the Mentor Scheme Administrator or your HR Advisor who will be able to refer you to the appropriate person.

If the mentor has any concerns over the duty of care issues arising during the course of the mentoring relationship, the mentee should be signposted to the appropriate team or service. The ‘Further support and signposting’ section contains a suggested list of contacts and services to which you can refer (i.e. occupational health, dignity & respect team etc). Mentors or mentees can also contact the Mentoring Scheme Administrator for further guidance on the sources of support available.

How will I know if I’m doing a good job?

Both parties take equal responsibility for the progression of the mentoring: the key task for a mentor is to support the mentee in identifying and clarifying their development needs while the mentee’s role is to seek to address them.

Open communication is the key to any good relationship. Throughout the mentoring relationship, you should be speaking with your mentee about whether or not you are fulfilling the joint goals set out at the beginning of your partnership and clarify expectations based on your role as a mentor. Your mentor will also ask you to provide feedback on your progress and experience throughout the mentoring relationship. If you are helping your mentee make progress on their job search, then your relationship is successful.

Although One Step Beyond is primarily a scheme focused on enhancing staff development, as a mentoring relationship progresses it may become apparent that engaging with other sources of support would be beneficial. Below is a list of resources and services available to support staff wellbeing in addition to their mentoring relationship.

Wellbeing

The University of Exeter has a wealth of internal resources aimed at supporting staff wellbeing, which mentors can signpost to, or engage with themselves:

• Spectrum Life-a confidential counselling and support service for the University of Exeter. This free service is offered to University of Exeter staff members, postgraduate students and family members who live at the same address as staff members and postgraduate students.
• Staff Wellbeing Resources
• Occupational Health
• Flexible working for Education & Scholarship and Education & Research employees
• HR Business Partners and Advisors

Protecting Staff Dignity and Respect

• Staff Dignity, Respect and Wellbeing
• Dignity and Respect Advisors
• Trade Union representatives
• Athena SWAN
• The University also has a Mediation Service. Mediation is an informal, structured process in which an independent, impartial, third party (a mediator), helps people in a disagreement to create for themselves a way forward in a dispute or other conflict situation.

Supporting Parents and Carers

Key internal resources available to staff who are, or are about to become, parents and/or carers:

• Key information for parents and carers
• Parents and Carers Network/Budd-E system
• Teaching time restriction applications

How often should I meet with my mentor/mentee?

The mentor and mentee respect each other’s time and other responsibilities, ensuring that they do not impose beyond what is reasonable. The frequency and length of meetings should be mutually agreed, along with the level and means of contact between meetings, at the start of the Mentoring relationship.

Do I meet with my mentor/mentee in person?

It is recommended that you meet in person, especially for the first few meetings. However, there will be times when on-line/phone communication or video conferencing will be more convenient and/or effective for both of you, particularly if you are based on different campuses. Please contact onestepbeyond@exeter.ac.uk to find out more about our cross-campus One Step Beyond travel fund.

Where should I have meetings with my mentor/mentee?

Meeting locations are determined jointly by the mentor and mentee. The mentoring relationship should be conducted in a safe, non-judgemental environment that facilitates a wide range of learning, experimentation and development. Meetings may take place at the mentor’s office, a coffee shop or another mutually agreeable place.

If asked by the mentee, should the mentor provide a professional or personal reference?

This should be agreed at the start. Generally speaking the answer is 'no'. Mentoring is about helping someone help themselves and not about making judgements about their aptitudes, ability and potential.

Some people confuse the mentee relationship with patronage and approach the mentor for a reference. The problems with this are that:

• The mentee may then say things to the mentor with the aim of impressing them and not therefore engage fully in an open exploration of uncertainties and weaknesses. They would not then make best use of the confidential mentoring relationship.
• The mentee may have unrealistic ideas about how the Mentor could use his/her professional networks. We would like the confidentiality to be in both directions.

Applying mid- scheme

There is a planned cycle for mentoring schemes to ensure the best possible matches for all individuals involved in the scheme. If you apply late for the scheme we will still attempt to match you but the probability of finding as good a match as you could have achieved is lower. In some circumstances we may have to wait for the next cycle to find you an appropriate match. If in the mean time you identify an appropriate match for yourself, we are able to help and support you and your mentor with the process, just email us: staffmentoring@exeter.ac.uk

Virtual mentoring is a great way to bypass the geographical barrier when working remotely and can create valuable mentoring relationships.  This involves communicating via Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Zoom, phone, or email in lieu of face-to-face mentoring sessions.

Pros

In addition to the normal benefits of mentoring, virtual mentoring has some benefits of its own.

• Flexible meetings. Virtual mentoring allows for flexible meeting times, which is convenient for busy schedules. This convenience allows more people to participate in the program, spreading the benefits further through the organisation.
• Good exposure for participants. Mentors and mentees in different locations now have access to learn from each other. This means the participants will be exposed to new ideas, and practices. Exposure like this through mentoring promotes diversity awareness throughout the University.

Cons

Virtual mentoring has some challenges when compared to traditional face-to-face mentoring. To maximise the benefits of virtual mentoring, you need to prepare to tackle some challenges:

• Communication challenges. Virtual communication is limiting to communication cues such as body language and facial expressions. This is especially true for channels such as email and phone calls.
  • Tip: use video chat (Teams) whenever possible. This will allow them to see each other’s facial expressions and body language. Thanks to the internet, email, mobile phones and other apps, you can connect in real-time. Rather than wait for the next meeting, a mentee can discuss a situation with their mentor that same day.
• Technology problems. In a perfect world, every form of technology would work all the time. However, that is not always the case. Technology failures can be frustrating to both participants and possibly cause a tense relationship.
  • Tip: These problems cannot always be prevented. You are encouraged to prepare contingency plans for when they arise. This will minimise any frustrations and allow your mentor relationship to continue. Do not discount the use of Teams, Skype, FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom or any of the other free video call software that is available.

The key to successful virtual mentoring is a shared understanding of how and when communication will occur.  It is important that you set of setting dates and times in the beginning and stick to them.

If you are starting or continuing a mentor/mentee relationship during this time of social distancing and working from home, rest assured you can access all our mentoring schemes.  The same advice and guidance about how to approach the mentoring relationship apply regardless of whether you are meeting face to face or via video link or telephone.  To continue with the advice and guidance given in your mentoring training but here are a few additional pointers to keep you on track:

• Be prepared for your mentoring conversation to perhaps take a different path than you originally thought it might!  These are unusual times and inevitably conversations are more likely to stray into new areas, goals will change!  As ever consider what you are comfortable discussing and try to confirm the new goal of the conversation.
• Remember the mentee sandwich!  Start by putting your mentee at ease, this might take a little longer at distance and under the current situation.  Listen, question, reflect and then check back in with them at the end, what actions are they taking away and are they happy with their choices?
• With the first point in mind remember to think about your boundaries and specifically when to signpost to other departments, experts and organisations.  Some useful links include:
  • Keeping Healthy and Productive
  • Staff Wellbeing including pro-counselling
• When having a meeting with your mentee remember to turn off all of your incoming emails, chats, reminders etc.  Working from home we potentially have even more distractions that might take us away from our mentoring conversation.  If you are likely to be interrupted make your mentee aware of the situation under which you are working.  Consider the best time for the conversation – when are there going to be least distractions for both of you?
• Lastly don’t put yourself under undue pressure, mentors are not expected to have all of the answers especially in these unprecedented times.  Mentoring conversations might take a little longer than usual and stray a little more off-topic, but that’s ok, keep gently bringing it back to the ‘goal’, reflecting, listening, guiding and checking back where required.

The "One Step Beyond" Academic Mentoring scheme spans across all Colleges to bring you a fantastic opportunity to engage with a mentoring relationship and develop your knowledge in any of the following areas:

• Building informal teams and collaborations
• Citizenship Development
• Education Development
• Leadership & Management Development
• Managing personal/family life with professional/career aspirations
• Personal Effectiveness
• Research Development

We will automatically end scheme relationships after 12 months, although of course, you are free to continue meeting your mentoring partner outside of the scheme if you both so desire.  

We will shortly be introducing a new mentoring platform,  please await further updates.

Thank you for your interest in the Professional Services Mentoring Scheme. The scheme is open to all current members of the University of Exeter Professional Services staff, at any stage in their career.

Participating in the scheme is an entirely voluntary, but formal, arrangement whereby an experienced member of staff, generally outside the reporting relationship, holds regular meetings to support the development of a less experienced member of staff.

You can be matched with a mentor/mentee according to these areas:

• Objectives/skills
• Mentor type
• Location
• Grade 
• Gender
• Professional Service

We will shortly be introducing a new mentoring platform,  please await further updates.

The HoD mentoring scheme is an excellent opportunity to share good practice, link in across colleges, bridge knowledge gaps and provide support to each other in this demanding leadership role.

This opportunity will enable you to either connect with HoD peers to support each other and gain valuable experience from experienced HoDs, ADE/ADRs and HRBPs.

This scheme operates on an annual cycle, and relationships will be terminated January each year.

Timeline:

• January - Applications/sign up to the scheme
• February - Scheme Matching

We will shortly be introducing a new mentoring platform,  please await further updates.

This scheme will match a new apprentice with a more experienced apprentice mentor who can offer support with their holistic development – e.g. settling in, questions and concerns about the university, the role, training, the training provider, and/or their career.  This scheme is extra support on top of the apprentice’s line manager and any workplace mentors that are in place.

We will shortly be introducing a new mentoring platform, please await further updates.