Developing a New Approach to Partnering in the Formal Mentoring Process

Dr. Janine Golden

IFLA Satellite Conference, Bologna

April 18-20, 2009

Relevancy of Mentoring

Model

Summary and Conclusion

Dissertation Career Development Strategies

career planning continuing education training and development mentorship networking professional involvement recognizing/taking opportunities qualifications and experience

193 responses 118 directors (61.1 percent) have had a mentor 75 did not have a mentor (38.9 percent)

128 responses 39 directors (30.5 percent) say they could have achieved

their current status without a mentor 38 directors (29.7 percent) say they could not 51 (39.8 percent) are undecided

191 responses 106 directors (55.5 percent) are mentors 85 (44.5 percent) are not.

Golden, J. (2006) Career development directions for the public library middle level manager. In E.D. Garten, D.E. Williams, and J.M. Nyce (Eds.) Advances in Library Administration and Organization, Vol. 23, (pp. 173-244). London: Elsevier.

Mentoring programs exist...but not to everyone’s satisfaction

Areas are prone to challenges..research to identify where they are

1) processes used for the pairings (1-1, 1-2, 1-3, etc.) of mentor(s) and mentee(s)

2) lack of a continuous primary stakeholder buy in

3) weaning of coordination and motivational factors first introduced

To assist… - organizations with their attempt to

encourage the successful development, retention, recruitment

of professionals into their organization.

- mentors and mentees acquire knowledge, skills, motivational measures for further successful career library leadership development

Partnering process: (most critical and shown here) program coordination: administrative structure of the

program program evaluation purpose and timing of evaluating the

program, tailor made forms such as contracts, forms used for goal construction, and questions for the surveys

program sustainability: techniques for organizational membership and mentoring program self-perpetuation

Partnering process forms the foundation for the entire program

Focus on partnering process Strategies that organizations can use to assist

mentoring partners - in the visualization of their relationship as a growth process

Help encourage internal self motivation between partners

Result: creation and performance of a successful mentoring program

State Library and Archives of Florida Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute. (SSLLI)

2004-2007

Funded by LSTA grant 2004-2007

40 Current managers in the library field

Participants able to choose own mentors with final decision by State Library

Challenges: Some Directors chose mentors for the participant; some mentors not attending orientation

American Library Association (ALA)Library Leadership and Management Association

(LLAMA) Mentoring Committee July 2008 – April, 2009

Pilot mentoring program 25 LLAMA members throughout US seeking to

use mentoring for career development

Participants matched by mentoring committee based on questionnaire to mentors and mentees

Challenges: time geography, some mismatch of library types, some mentors not attending orientation

Professional Education for Librarians in Small Communities (PELSC) 2007 – present

Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant to TWU SLIS

30 Library Directors in small communities in TX who do not hold MLS

Participants given list of TX library leaders to choose from

Challenges: time, geography, some mismatches of personality, some mentors not attending orientation session

Mentoring Program

PELSC LLAMA SSLLI

mentee identification

mandatory voluntary mandatory

mentor selection

pool pool self chosen

interest inventory

yes yes yes

matching choice or given choice or given choice

training together/mandatory together/mandatory together/mandatory

self-analysis: enneagram

no no yes

Programs Examined: Procedures applied to each mentoring program…

The successful foundation of a mentoring program

results in the strength of the pairs

Increase the conscious individualism of the partners

Heighten awareness of the evolutionary relationship

Help individuals know their own strengths and weaknesses

Help accept distinguishing characteristics in their partner

Empower pairs to establish individualized/team learning & growth

1. Program coordinator2. Mentee direct input3. Mandatory mentor orientation attendance4. Same orientation session attendance5. Orientation/training presentation points6. Mid-way survey7. Length of program

Regular form of communication between - the organization and the pairs- one liaison to one pair (a duo) or - one coordinator for all the pairs

Can also separate communication dividing the mentor messages from the mentees

Acknowledgment to offer - confidential assistance- articles/tips on the mentoring relationship - rah-rahs

Mentee needs to contribute to the selection process

Final selection choice left up to the organization

Why? Compatibility predicts positive relationship outcomes.

When the mentors were not able to attend, the survey results produced comments such as:

“I am not certain that what I am doing is what the committee would have intended”

The organization should provide more structure/direction for the mentoring process”

“The coordinator of the program ought to provide the mentors with more up-front and real-time information about what the course was covering.”

1. Ensure all are in sync with each other’s roles and the role assumed by the organization.

2. Introductory interaction with each other, with other pairs, and with the program coordinator.

3. Organization helps individuals initiate the development of obtaining a deeper understanding of each other. (Message cannot be heard if there is no understanding of one another).

4. Participants begin process of seeing/learning alternatives to own patterns of behavior.

2 Parts… Part 1: Ten informational elements

Part 2: Personality self- assessment (basis for the model’s title creation)

1) Introduction and statement of the role of the coordinator.

2) Presentation of the organization’s definition of mentoring.

3) Myths and fallacies of mentoring. 4) Stated roles of the mentor and mentee

highlighting that the mentee drives the relationship.

5) Clear expectations of each partner. 6) Establishment of relational boundaries. 7) Awareness of potential risks and benefits. 8) Recognition that both partners benefit from

the relationship. 9) Expectation that mentee career goal

construction is a key element. 10) Knowledge that there is a beginning and a

conclusion to this formal organizational sponsored program.

Figure of Enneagram (Wright, 1997)

Half way through the program the partnership needs a boost

Mid-way questionnaire be created Data gatheredResults are summarized and then spun back to the

participants

Why? what their peers are doing gives additional ideas

Program of 12 months Mentors and mentees actually connecting for 10

of those 12

Should have enough stated time to experience natural course of the mentoring phases. ◦ Initiation: Cultivation: Separation: Redefinition

Agreement on definition/roles

Designated acknowledged program coordinator

Mentees have direct input into mentor selection

Mentees, mentors attend orientation session

Mentors, mentees attend same orientation session

Orientation session contains a personality analysis self assessment

Mentees drive

Anonymous mid-way/final surveys online

Timeline: longer than 10 months, maximum of a year

LIS profession is concerned about regenerating the profession

Recruiting and retaining librarians requires use of creative strategies

Mentoring can be touted as an added value to the librarian’s own career development

This model will have baby boomers, gen-xers, and millenials knowing one another’s strengths and weaknesses well enough to understand how to successfully work together