Not All Types of Mentors are Created Equal- A summary of the article

Troisi, J.D., Leder-Elder, S., Stiegler-Balfour, J.J., Flack, B.K. (2015).  Not all types of Mentors are Created Equal: Comparing the Effectiveness of Intra-departmental, Intra-University and Self Selected Mentors. The Journal of Faculty Development, 29(3), 17-22. ISSN 2153-1900 2153-1919 

I wanted to read this article as I have received feedback from some mentors that they would have preferred to have a mentee that was a member of their department.  Most of the research discourages this practice, due to implications regarding the possibility of a mentor having supervisory responsibility over a mentee in the future. This could impact decisions regarding promotion and tenure.  At CCRI, this might occur as a result of departmental elections for a department chairperson. 
The authors surveyed 122 early career professionals (ECP).  The results indicated that ECPs preferred self selected and intra-departmental mentors over intra-university mentors.  The authors supported the concept of a mentor network, including superiors, peers and subordinates.  This extended support system can provide guidance regarding to the myriad responsibilities and duties inherent in early career stages.
ECPs expressed concern that a mentor may identify professional deficiencies; this was a particular concern if the mentor was involved in departmental level decisions.  However, familiarity with the mentee’s field of study was identified as an important aspect of effective mentorship.
My takeaway from the article was the importance of a portfolio of mentors for the ECP.  This provides access to the experience of many and a variety of skillsets. One mentor, whether intra-departmental or intra-university, can’t be expected to provide a sufficient level of support for an ECP. 

Martha Vigneault

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