Mentoring Outcomes Research Articles

Mentoring protégés of color: Experiences of primary and informal mentors

This study examines mentoring from the perspective of academic mentors involved in relationships with protégés of color. Specifically, we look at factors that influence academic mentors' relationship satisfaction, commitment, and intentions to mentor protégés of color. Results suggest that interpersonal comfort, perceived similarity, and intrinsic motivation contribute positively to these mentor outcomes. As hypothesized, our data also suggests that interpersonal comfort, intrinsic motivation, and perceived similarity are more important for primary mentors than for informal mentors. The management education and career development implications of these findings are discussed.

Mechanisms Linking Multiple-level Mentoring and Protégés Outcomes

As an effective approach for employees' socialization and career development, mentoring has been widely used in various organizations. However, both outcomes and behaviors of mentoring are influenced by the changes from employee work needs and work style in organizations respectively. On the one hand, the previous mentoring research pay much attention to career outcomes of employees; On the other hand, the majority of mentoring research has only considered the dyadic mentor-protege relationship and overlooks group-level mentoring. According to previous research, we firstly proposes a new concept named multiple-level mentoring behaviors, including providing group-level mentoring for all proteges and individual-level mentoring for one protege. Moreover, this research examines the mediating role of self-efficacy and group identification in the relationships between multiple-level mentoring and proteges outcomes. And finally develops a cross-level modeling by examining the interaction of different level of mentoring on proteges outcomes. The present research will not only fill in the gaps in the mentoring outcomes(limited to career outcomes) and mentoring behaviors(neglecting group-level mentoring), but also give valuable implications for mentoring practice.

Promoting Mentorship in Translational Research

Despite consensus that mentorship is a critical determinant of career success, many academic health centers (AHCs) do not provide formal training for their mentors. In part, this problem arises from a lack of evidence-based mentorship training curricula. In this issue of Academic Medicine, Pfund and colleagues from 16 AHCs, including 15 Clinical Translational Science Award institutions report the results of a randomized, controlled trial that addressed this research gap. In their study, mentors randomized to undertake a formal mentoring curriculum reported significant gains in self-assessed competencies. These improvements were corroborated by the most critical and objective observers of mentorship skills: their own mentees.Evidence-based curricula will not transform research mentorship in isolation. An organization-wide culture of mentorship is necessary to meet the mentorship needs of all research trainees and faculty. The development of a culture of mentorship requires attention to structural issues such as the provision of protected time, physical resources, and targeted funding in addition to evidence-based curricula. Organizations must monitor the implementation of these structures in the day-to-day process of mentorship. Finally, institutions must develop measures to track outcomes for both mentors and mentees, and create incentives to achieve those outcomes. In the current environment of constrained research funding and competing demands from clinical and educational programs, a substantive organizational commitment to mentorship is necessary to ensure that the next generation of mentees achieves success in translational research.

Opinion & Special Articles: Mentoring in neurology

Effective academic mentoring significantly affects a physician's choice of career, academic productivity, and professional trajectory. The mentoring relationship is necessary for the continued success of medical training. It is critical to cultivate a climate in which mentoring can thrive. In order to improve the quality and outcomes of mentoring, we must adopt a comprehensive plan. There are interventions at every level of training that will ensure that the current cohort of neurologists receives the requisite expertise needed to flourish and inspire future trainees. Professional organizations must articulate a comprehensive vision of mentoring. Institutions must create an infrastructure to support mentors. Mentors should work in active partnerships with their mentees to forge sustained, productive relationships. Mentees must actively contribute to their own mentoring. Proper mentorship will ensure a bright future for academic neurology.

The Role of Mentoring Program in Enhancing Mentees’ Academic Performance

According to institutions of higher learning literature, mentoring program has two important features: communication and support. The ability of mentors to appropriately implement comfortable communication and provide adequate support may ehance positive mentee outcomes, especially academic performance. Although the nature of this relationship is crucial, little is known about the role of mentoring program as an important predictor of mentees’ academic performance in the higher education mentoring research literature. Therefore, this study was conducted to measure the relationship between mentoring program and mentees’ academic performance using self-administered questionnaires gathered from undergraduate students in Malaysian institutions of higher learning in Sarawak. The results of SmartPLS path model showed two important outcomes: firstly, communication positively and significantly correlated with academic performance. Secondly, support positively and significantly correlated with academic performance. The result demonstrates that mentoring program does act as an important predictor of mentees’ academic performance in the organizational sample. Thus, discussion, implications and conclusion are elaborated.

Evidence-based Mentoring in Higher Education: The High Impact Mentoring Model

This paper develops the High Impact Mentoring Model (HIMM) as a conceptual and practical mechanism for supporting academic teaching practices within higher education. The HIMM was developed as a result of an action research study which was undertaken in the New Zealand higher education context and reflects a synthesis of the research findings. Using the analogy of mentoring as a progressive, iterative process, the HIMM suggests a processoriented approach to implementing an organisation-wide mentoring process with embedded systemic evaluation strategies to determine the outcomes of mentoring. A number of key components represent the multi-dimensional nature of the HIMM, such as the mentor selection process, the process for matching mentees with mentors, the provision of mentoring training, and the establishment of communities of practice for mentors and mentees as an additional support mechanism within a mentoring programme. The HIMM builds on a conceptual framework which positions mentoring as a pivotal link for connecting the individual teacher within the larger sphere of the organisation and is of key importance to stakeholders within higher education contexts including but not limited to teachers, professional development providers, managers, and the organization as a strategic whole. It is a model for mentoring that is not only applicable for higher education, but has broader applications in other contexts such as health and business. The HIMM seeks to guide the process for including teacher mentoring as one of the organisation's support mechanisms to facilitate teacher professional development that is theoretically, contextually, and strategically framed.

College Women Mentoring Adolescent Girls: The Relationship between Mentor Peer Support and Mentee Outcomes

In this study, we examined the effectiveness of peer support for college women mentors who engaged in one-to-one and group mentoring with at-risk adolescent girls. Using data from 162 mentoring pairs, results suggested that mentor support positively predicted mentees’ self-reported improvement after a year of mentoring. An examination of mentees’ self-esteem outcomes revealed that mentor peer support was associated with higher outcomes only for those mentees who had higher pre-program scores; for those with below average pre-scores, mentor support was associated with lower self-esteem. Taken together, these results indicate that mentor support may serve as an important function beyond ongoing training, though its effectiveness may vary based on mentee characteristics. Implications are discussed.

Advancing workplace spiritual development: A dyadic mentoring approach

Workplace spirituality has become the focus of several major business organizations and scholars. Research has found spirituality to be most beneficial when fostered at the individual rather than collective level (Herman & Gioia, 1998; Krishnakumar & Neck, 2002). Yet, little is known about how leaders deploy workplace spirituality to the individual level and sustain it over time. To address this question, the case is made that spirituality at work may best be fostered through a dyadic mentorship. Accordingly, a concept of spiritual mentoring is proposed, which takes an authentic self perspective to spirituality while approaching spiritual development as best served through a co-created, dyadic process. Drawing on previous research, spiritual mentoring is organized into three categories – inner life, meaningful work, and context/connectedness – and presented as a temporal process through which leaders may provide these supportive behaviors. Prospective outcomes of spiritual mentoring are described, and potential barriers are considered.

Enduring mentoring partnership: A reflective case study and recommendations for evaluating mentoring in dietetics

AbstractAimThere are little published data on the effectiveness and outcomes of mentoring in nutrition and dietetics. The aim of this case study was to determine the characteristics of an effective and enduring mentoring partnership.MethodsA qualitative case study research approach using critical reflexivity was used to examine a mentoring relationship. Mentoring partnership data were collected through memory work and the review of written records was kept by the mentor and mentee of their meetings. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach and rigor enhanced through triangulation of data analysis.ResultsSix key themes emerged from the data. Compatibility and commitment to the mentoring partnership by mentor and mentee were essential elements in this relationship. The mentee found that long‐term support offered by the mentor and facilitation of reflective practice were the key benefits of the relationship. The mentor found it rewarding to observe the mentee's development from new graduate to experienced and confident practitioner and learned skills in facilitating learning. The experience has helped the mentor take a more proactive and outcome‐based approach to her mentoring relationships.ConclusionsSole practitioners, in the absence of the support from supervisors and coworkers, may benefit more from mentoring beyond the provisional year. There is a need for the provision of training opportunities for those dietitians wishing to embark on a mentoring role as most mentors learn on the job. The profession needs to look at ways of measuring the effectiveness of mentoring partnerships.

Threshold work: sustaining liminality in mentoring international students

PurposeThis article, which is conceptual and exploratory in nature, aims to examine the use of sustained liminality in the initiation phase of the mentoring relationship. Liminality is the non‐structured transitional phase in transformative cultural and social change: a place betwixt‐and‐between, where previous and future norms are suspended. The article argues that providing an explicit liminal phase in mentoring relationships allows mentor and mentees to consider the nature of the relationship and the eventual process through which its goals might be accomplished.Design/methodology/approachThe article reflects on experiences gained in using a liminal approach to the mentoring process with distance transnational mentees. It presents the case for the use of what is termed threshold work in addressing the transition from non‐mentored to mentored status. It understands mentoring as a ritual enactment that requires a reassessment of cultural assumptions for participants with differing national identities.FindingsThe article is conceptual in nature and presents only anecdotal outcomes derived from informal discussion with mentees. It argues that, based on these initial experiences, more evidence‐based research might be usefully conducted to examine the effect of a liminal approach on the mentoring process, at both relational and outcomes levels, particularly when mentor and mentee are distanced spatially and by national culture.Originality/valueThis article presents a novel perspective for approaching the initiation phase of the mentoring process. Although used in other contexts, liminality is infrequently employed in mentoring. The utilization of liminality may be particularly valuable in approaching novice mentees who have different national cultural backgrounds and prior educational experiences. As such, the article provides useful insights for practitioners, especially in academic environments.

Toward a Conceptual Model of Mentoring Research: Integration with Self-Regulated Learning

In this article, we present a model for academic mentoring research that incorporates theory and research on self-regulated learning. Academic mentoring research has increased in recent years, and researchers have linked mentoring with positive outcomes for proteges and mentors. This research, however, has not investigated the process whereby mentoring exerts its effects. An integration of mentoring with self-regulated learning seems valuable because self-regulated learning researchers have employed methodologies to assess its dynamic nature. We review assumptions of mentoring and self-regulated learning theories, representative mentoring research studies, and methods of assessing self-regulated learning. Following presentation of the mentoring research model, suggestions are given for types of research studies to identify the operation of key processes before, during, and after mentoring interactions. We conclude with implications of this integrated perspective for theory development and educational practice.

Career benefits associated with mentoring for mentors: A meta-analysis

Mentoring has been studied extensively as it is linked to protégé career development and growth. Recent mentoring research is beginning to acknowledge however that mentors also can accrue substantial benefits from mentoring. A meta-analysis was conducted where the provision of career, psychosocial and role modeling mentoring support were associated with five types of subjective career outcomes for mentors: job satisfaction, organizational commitment, turnover intent, job performance, and career success. The findings indicated that mentors versus non-mentors were more satisfied with their jobs and committed to the organization. Providing career mentoring was most associated with career success, psychosocial mentoring with organizational commitment, and role modeling mentoring with job performance. Turnover intent was not linked significantly with any of the subjective career outcome variables. The findings support mentoring theory in that mentoring is reciprocal and collaborative and not simply beneficial for protégés. Longitudinal research is needed however to determine the degree to which providing mentoring impacts a mentor’s career over time. By alerting prospective mentors to the possible personal benefits of providing career, psychosocial, and role modeling mentoring support for protégés, HRD professionals can improve recruitment efforts for mentoring programs.

The Effect of Mentor Intervention Style in Novice Entrepreneur Mentoring Relationships

In this study, we aimed to determine whether mentor intervention styles influence benefits gained by novice entrepreneurs through their mentoring relationship. An empirical study conducted with 360 mentees who had received mentoring services shows that an intervention style which combines a maieutic approach with mentor involvement produced the best results. This style made it possible for the mentor to play a more decisive role with the mentee and also fostered the development of certain mentee outcomes. Mentoring program directors can make their mentors aware of the importance of their mentoring style to maximize outcomes for novice entrepreneurs.

Mentorship in African health research training programs: an exploratory study of Fogarty International Center Programs in Kenya and Uganda.

Mentorship is a critical element of capacity-building for health research as it can support career counseling, promote interest in health research and build professional networks. Few studies of mentorship have taken place in low- and middle-income countries. This paper explores the mentorship dimension of the Fogarty International Center's (FIC) support to research training in Kenya and Uganda. This exploratory study documents the nature of mentoring that occurred within FIC programs, considers the outcomes of mentoring, and the strengths and weaknesses of FIC trainee mentorship during and after training. Two case studies were conducted, at the University of Nairobi in Kenya and Makerere University in Uganda. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with former trainees, principal investigators and institutional leaders, exploring their perceptions of mentoring and its effects. Mentoring aspects of FIC programs were highly valued. Respondents felt that following formal training in the US there was much still to learn about conducting research, and mentoring relationships provided support in applying for and implementing research grants. Mentoring arrangements were initially with US collaborators, but over time relationships with senior African colleagues became critical, particularly in terms of navigating university administrative systems. Mentees were typically highly motivated to pass their skills on to others, and became eager mentors later in their careers. A minority of respondents raised concerns about directive approaches to mentorship that reflect more hierarchical rather than egalitarian approaches. Mentorship during and after FIC research training programs, while largely informal in nature, appears to have very positive impacts upon career development and inclination to remain in health research. Local African mentors often play a critical mentorship role, and their contributions should be better recognized.

Like and like together: Perceived salient similarity in high-quality mentoring relationships

Despite the belief that similarity plays a fundamental role in the development of relationships, research on the role of similarity in mentoring relationships has been inconclusive. Motivated by these inconclusive findings, we leverage insights from theories of identity and positive organizational scholarship to advance an alternative view of similarity, perceived salient similarity, which accounts for multiple identities and the important role that context plays in shaping perceptions. Then, we propose a model that illustrates the role that perceived similarity plays in the development and sustainment of high-quality mentoring relationships, which gives equal weight to both protege and mentor perceptions and outcomes.

A Longitudinal Assessment of Opportunity Recognition with a Mentor: The Effect of Goal Orientation

The knowledge that is acquired through a mentoring relationship could stimulate the novice entrepreneur’s ability to recognize new opportunities. At the same time, a mentee’s learning goal orientation (LGO) influences mentoring relationships by increasing mentee outcomes. The aim of this research is to verify whether a novice entrepreneur’s learning can help him develop his ability to recognize business opportunities and whether the entrepreneur’s LGO has an impact on this relationship. Based on a sample of 360 mentees and a longitudinal follow-up for 106 of these respondents, results show that mentoring supports the opportunity recognition process, as well as LGO, but that a high LGO decreases the effect of mentoring on the ability to recognize opportunities, which confirms the moderating role of LGO in the relationship between these variables.

An Investigation of Formal Mentors' Work Overload and Mentoring Effectiveness among Nurses

Although formal mentoring programs can provide considerable supports for proteges, they may still perceive some aspects of the mentoring to be ineffective. Different from previous research explaining ineffective mentoring outcomes in light of individual or program characteristics, the current study focuses on the work overload felt by formal mentors. We empirically investigate the effects of mentors' work overload on mentoring effectiveness in terms of the satisfaction toward mentoring, career functions, and psychosocial functions reported by their proteges. To test the hypotheses, data were collected using a sample of 108 mentor-protege dyads participating in a formal mentoring program offered for nurses in a general hospital. The results indicate that the work overload felt by formal mentors negatively affects their proteges' satisfaction toward mentoring and psychosocial functions, whereas mentors' work overload as perceived by their proteges was not significant in predicting mentoring effectiveness. This study highlights the implications of workload in the operation of formal mentoring program in health care organizations.

EFFECTIVE YOUTH MENTORS: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INITIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF COLLEGE WOMEN MENTORS AND MENTEE SATISFACTION AND OUTCOME

To optimize the effectiveness of youth mentoring it is important to begin to identify specific preexisting characteristics of mentors that lead to positive experiences for adolescent mentees. College women mentors, aged 18 to 22 years, were paired with middle school girls, aged 11 to 14 years, for weekly one‐on‐one and group mentoring in an 8‐month, school‐based youth mentoring program. For the sampled 142 mentor‐mentee dyads participating in the program, mentor's reported academic self‐worth, parent relationship, and not being too autonomous were important preexisting characteristics related to mentee satisfaction. Mentor's initial level of depression was negatively correlated with mentee's self‐reported improvement in competence, while mentor anxiety was positively correlated. Finally, the relationship between mentor's autonomy (negative) and ethnocultural empathy (positive) and mentee outcomes were stronger for cross‐race versus same‐race pairs. Implications for mentoring programs that use college students as youth mentors are discussed.

Linking Mentoring Program to Self-Efficacy as a Predictor of Mentee Outcomes

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of self-efficacy in the relationship between mentoring program practices and mentee outcomes using 196 usable questionnaires collected from students studying in institutions of higher learning in Sarawak, Malaysia.The outcomes of stepwise regression analysis showed two important findings; firstly, the relationship between self-efficacy and mentoring program practices (i.e., communication, participation and support) is insignificantly correlated with psycho social. Secondly, the relationship between self-efficacy and mentoring program practices (i.e., communication, participation and support) is significantly correlated with academic performance. Statistically, this result confirms that the relationship between self-efficacy and mentoring program practices has not been an important predictor of psycho social but the relationship between self-efficacy and mentoring program practice has been an important predictor of academic performance in the organizational sample.

A longitudinal study of mentor and protégé outcomes in formal mentoring relationships

SummaryThis study examined relationships between mentoring functions offered and transformational leadership as a mentor outcome and affective well‐being and organizational commitment as mutual outcomes for both mentors and protégés. For this examination, we conducted a longitudinal field study by using 111 matched reports from both mentors and protégés collected at three different points in time over seven months in nine Korean companies that administered a standardized formal mentoring program. Study results showed that mentoring functions assessed at Time 2 were positively associated with mentors' and protégés' post‐mentoring outcomes at Time 3 after controlling for pre‐mentoring initial levels of those outcomes at Time 1. Study findings also revealed that relative effects of mentoring on the mentor and protégé outcomes differed by the types of mentoring functions. We discuss the theoretical, practical, and methodological implications from these results. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.