Developing Effective Mentoring Skills Beyond the Basics

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Developing Effective Mentoring Skills- Beyond the
Basics

• Karen Leslie MD FRCP(C)
• Barbara Stubbs MD CCFP
• Merrilee Brown MD CCFP
• DFCM Rosser Academic Day
• April 28,2007

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Workshop Objectives

• To understand current faculty mentorship needs in
  our department
• To describe the key elements of effective
  mentoring
• To develop and enhance the skills required to
  establish and maintain mentoring relationships

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Overview

• Introduction
• Key Points/Background
• Interactive Exercise
• What We Have Learned Together
• Resources

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Mentorship In the DFCM

• Our definition
• A dynamic, reciprocal relationship leading to
  positive change both for the career development
  of the involved individuals and for the cultural
  development of the department

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Mentorship Critical Elements

• A confidential relationship between two
  individuals with the objective of proactively
  assisting the mentee with personal and
  professional development without providing formal
  evaluation

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Preceptor versus Mentor

• less formal structured
• personal professional
• wide scope, deepens
• info flows in both directions
• less hierarchical with time
• no formal evaluation of student
• relationship may last for years
• benefits mutually accrued

• formal structured
• professionally focused
• wide scope, little depth
• info from preceptor to student
• hierarchical
• formal evaluation of student
• ends after formal clinical experience
• benefits favour student

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DFCM Mentorship Survey Results

• Faculty-wide survey- Sept. 2006
• 45.7 response rate
• 112 DFCM Faculty (52) wish to be mentored
• Female faculty were significantly more interested
  in being mentored than were their male
  counterparts
• 133 DFCM Faculty (63) were interested in
  mentoring others
• No significant gender differences in interest
  levels in being mentors

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Comparison of Faculty Needs for Mentorship
Support (n).
9
Comparison of Mentorship Roles (n).
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Survey- Mentor Qualities

• Similar Values
• Respect for Diversity
• Accessibility
• Experience
• Good interpersonal skills
• Having a genuine interest in mentoring
• Same discipline

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Survey- Mentorship Formats

• Traditional Dyads
• Multiple Mentors
• Group Mentorship Activities
• Remote- limited to phone or email only

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Survey- Meaningful Mentorship Experiences

• Receiving support and encouragement
• Ability to share and discuss ideas
• Ability to share values, experiences and
  challenges openly
• Having someone provide feedback and reinforcement
• Having a non-judgemental relationship

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4 Stages of Mentorship

• Preparing mentor and mentee must prepare
  individually and in partnership
• Negotiating agree on goals, define content and
  process of relationship
• Enabling develop a quality mentorship
  relationship and promote learning
• Closing evaluating, recognizing and celebrating
  achievements of the relationship

From Zachary L. The Mentors Guide
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Challenges in Mentorship

• Time pressure/expectations
• Discomfort on the part of the mentee
• Lack of mentor confidence
• Conflict of interest
• Boundary violations
• Relationship not working out

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4 Key Mentorship Skills

• Empathetic Listening
• Providing Support / Challenge
• Reflection
• Feedback

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Empathetic Listening

• Use facial expression, nod or lean slightly
  forward to convey your concern
• Offer brief confirmations I see
• Repeat part of key phrases
• Paraphrase
• Pose a question or clarify
• Avoid interrupting the mentee
• Briefly summarize
• Adapted from Communicating with Patients A
  Quick Reference Guide for Physicians Cullins,
  VE, et al 2000.

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Empathetic Listening (cont)

• Respond in a way that is supportive and
  sympathetic
• Ask how the mentee feels about emotionally laden
  information
• Ask the mentee to talk about problems or concerns
  rather than dismissing them
• BATHE Background, Affect, Troubles, Handling,
  Empathy
• Adapted from Communicating with Patients A
  Quick Reference Guide for Physicians Cullins VE,
  et al 2000.

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Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens. -
Jimi Hendrix
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Support /Challenge
L.Pololi, adapted from L.A. Daloz. Mentor.
Guiding the Journey of Adult Learners. Pub.
Jossey-Bass 1999.
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Examples of Feedback with support/challenge model
Well that could have been better why did
you not focus more early on?
A good effort, I could see how you were drawing
the feelings out I wonder if you got to the
crux of the matter?
Critical, induces defensiveness, potentially
paralyzing
Focused, attentive, potentially threatening
That was great, youre obviously trying hard
Good. Carry on. Seems to be working
In passing, nothing specific, dismissive
Safe, general, potentially patronizing
L.Pololi, adapted from L.A. Daloz. Mentor.
Guiding the Journey of Adult Learners. Pub.
Jossey-Bass 1999.
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Reflective Practice

• Reflection in action applying past experience to
  new situations while they are occurring
• Reflection on action thinking back on a past
  situation what contributed to the event, were
  actions appropriate and how it may affect future
  practice
• Schön

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Reflection during Mentorship

• Clarifies thinking, captures the richness of the
  experiences
• enables us to slow down, rest, and observe our
  journey and the process of self-knowledge that is
  so important along the way
• Huang and Lynch, 1995

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Challenges in the Mentorship Process
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Instructions for Mentoring Scenarios

• For each scenario
• Read the scenario on your own
• Discuss in your group
• What are the issues?
• How as a mentor would you approach these issues
  with your mentee?
• Role play in your group how you would proceed at
  the next meeting with your mentee

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Summary Key points

• 4 stages
• 4 skills
• Apply the family physician skills you already
  have to a new context
• There is no one right way to mentor find your
  own path!

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Resources People

• DFCM Mentorship Network
• DFCM Mentorship Advisory Group
• (contact Cindy Mallory, administrator, DFCM PD
  416-978-6471 , cindy.mallory_at_utoronto.ca)
• Further mentoring questions? Barbara.Stubbs_at_uhn.on
  .ca

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Resources Literature

• Go to the DFCM Home page http//dfcm19.med.utoront
  o.ca/
• Click on Professional Development
• Click on Mentor Resources

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THANK YOU!