The Judicial Studies Board for Northern Ireland Induction Seminar 22 nd November 2007.

The Judicial Studies Board for Northern The Judicial Studies Board for Northern IrelandIreland

Induction SeminarInduction Seminar

2222ndnd November 2007 November 2007

MentoringMentoring

Mentoring – what it is NOTMentoring – what it is NOT

Not about babysitting, or looking after Not about babysitting, or looking after the ‘new kids on the block’the ‘new kids on the block’

Not about monitoring performanceNot about monitoring performance Not about learning the legal ropes Not about learning the legal ropes Not a luxury there isn’t time forNot a luxury there isn’t time for Not about criticising decisionsNot about criticising decisions Not a cosy chatNot a cosy chat

What is mentoring?What is mentoring?

Mentoring is the process whereby an Mentoring is the process whereby an experienced member of an organisation acts experienced member of an organisation acts as a as a confidentialconfidential adviser to one or more adviser to one or more recently appointed members in order to help recently appointed members in order to help them understand the workings of the them understand the workings of the organisation and their role within it. A organisation and their role within it. A mentor provides support, advice and mentor provides support, advice and guidance, and gives the new appointee guidance, and gives the new appointee someone experienced and independent with someone experienced and independent with whom to discuss difficult issues.whom to discuss difficult issues.

Mentoring is an opportunity.Mentoring is an opportunity.

The Benefits of The Benefits of MentoringMentoring

BenefitsBenefits

For the mentee – For the mentee – Provides practical and professional support in Provides practical and professional support in

becoming familiar with and managing the judicial rolebecoming familiar with and managing the judicial role Helps to develop an overview of his/her own role and Helps to develop an overview of his/her own role and

gives confidence in a way that supplements traininggives confidence in a way that supplements training Helps to develop an understanding of procedures and Helps to develop an understanding of procedures and

systems within the court systemsystems within the court system Encourages reflection on practiceEncourages reflection on practice Identifies areas of developmentIdentifies areas of development Enhances self confidence and self-esteemEnhances self confidence and self-esteem Provides a sense of being supported (and reduces any Provides a sense of being supported (and reduces any

sense of isolation or stress)sense of isolation or stress) Provides a role model and a sounding boardProvides a role model and a sounding board Offers personal supportOffers personal support

BenefitsBenefits

For the mentor:For the mentor: Improves role satisfactionImproves role satisfaction Helps develop specific skillsHelps develop specific skills Encourages self reflectionEncourages self reflection Leads to developments in the mentor’s Leads to developments in the mentor’s

own practiceown practice Helps to develop relationshipsHelps to develop relationships Enhances peer recognitionEnhances peer recognition Assists career developmentAssists career development

BenefitsBenefits

For the justice system:For the justice system: Enhances the induction process and assists Enhances the induction process and assists

the integration of the mentee into the justice the integration of the mentee into the justice systemsystem

Enhances communicationEnhances communication Motivates individualsMotivates individuals Enables the new appointee to enhance the Enables the new appointee to enhance the

quality of the justice systemquality of the justice system The service provided to the court user is The service provided to the court user is

improvedimproved

Mentoring – what is required Mentoring – what is required from you?from you?

Mentoring tasksMentoring tasks

Negotiating and agreeingNegotiating and agreeing Identifying learning needsIdentifying learning needs ObservingObserving RecordingRecording Giving feedbackGiving feedback ReviewingReviewing Problem-solvingProblem-solving Giving information and adviceGiving information and advice Target settingTarget setting Clarifying strategies and actionsClarifying strategies and actions

The mentor’s skillsThe mentor’s skills

Showing respectShowing respect Showing empathy and understandingShowing empathy and understanding Active listeningActive listening QuestioningQuestioning Exploring and clarifyingExploring and clarifying ReflectingReflecting Challenging stereotypes, discriminating or inappropriate Challenging stereotypes, discriminating or inappropriate

remarksremarks SummarisingSummarising ObservingObserving Giving and receiving feedbackGiving and receiving feedback Action planningAction planning Decision makingDecision making Self reflectionSelf reflection Non judgmentalNon judgmental

The mentee’s skillsThe mentee’s skills

Self-reflectionSelf-reflection Self-assessmentSelf-assessment Active listeningActive listening QuestioningQuestioning ReviewingReviewing ObservingObserving Giving and receiving feedbackGiving and receiving feedback Being assertiveBeing assertive Decision makingDecision making Clarifying values and beliefsClarifying values and beliefs

The JSB Mentoring SystemThe JSB Mentoring System

Advice and GuidanceAdvice and Guidance

DurationDuration

Starts now!Starts now! Court observations before early DecemberCourt observations before early December Initial meeting within next 2-3 monthsInitial meeting within next 2-3 months Mentor should make himself/herself available Mentor should make himself/herself available

to respond to queries during mentee’s first to respond to queries during mentee’s first year year

May be of benefit to the mentee to maintain May be of benefit to the mentee to maintain the relationship informally over succeeding the relationship informally over succeeding yearsyears

ObservationsObservations

Recommend at least 3 observations before Recommend at least 3 observations before sitting in court (early/mid December)sitting in court (early/mid December)

Preferably 2 to be with mentorPreferably 2 to be with mentor Judicial Services Group (JSG) will arrangeJudicial Services Group (JSG) will arrange

If helpful, mentor may observe mentee once If helpful, mentor may observe mentee once sittings commencesittings commence

Meetings Meetings

Mentor should contact mentee as soon as possible after this seminar Mentor should contact mentee as soon as possible after this seminar to arrange initial meeting, to take place before or after the first to arrange initial meeting, to take place before or after the first sitting as a deputysitting as a deputy

At the initial meeting, parties should clarify understanding of the At the initial meeting, parties should clarify understanding of the purposes of mentoring and agree what they hope to achieve purposes of mentoring and agree what they hope to achieve through the experiencethrough the experience

Agree a basic framework – what way might the mentor support the Agree a basic framework – what way might the mentor support the mentee, frequency of meetings, opportunities for reviewmentee, frequency of meetings, opportunities for review

Suggest 2 review meetings during the yearSuggest 2 review meetings during the year Additional meetings at the request of the menteeAdditional meetings at the request of the mentee The mentor takes responsibility for monitoring the process and The mentor takes responsibility for monitoring the process and

ensuring contact is appropriately managedensuring contact is appropriately managed Ensure the mentee is familiar with or has access to various Bench Ensure the mentee is familiar with or has access to various Bench

Books and guidelines so that the mentee is well prepared to deal Books and guidelines so that the mentee is well prepared to deal with a range of issueswith a range of issues

Don’t forget the phone and email!Don’t forget the phone and email!

It’s probably a silly question…I’ll look It’s probably a silly question…I’ll look stupidstupid

No it’s not and no you won’tNo it’s not and no you won’t Your mentor is the person of whom you can Your mentor is the person of whom you can

ask the ‘silly’ questionask the ‘silly’ question Volume of work, personalities in court, court Volume of work, personalities in court, court

staff, personal litigants, difficult decisions staff, personal litigants, difficult decisions and situations, who to speak to about…, and situations, who to speak to about…, where to find…, how do I get a cup of tea, where to find…, how do I get a cup of tea, what to wear.what to wear.

““It can be a lonely job – it’s good to talk”It can be a lonely job – it’s good to talk”

Suggestions for good Suggestions for good practicepractice

Use active listening skills - good eye contact, Use active listening skills - good eye contact, summarising and paraphrasingsummarising and paraphrasing

Ask open questionsAsk open questions Allow mentee to do most of the talkingAllow mentee to do most of the talking Encourage confidence and responsibilityEncourage confidence and responsibility Use constructive and supportive languageUse constructive and supportive language If problems occur, mentor to ask mentee to explain If problems occur, mentor to ask mentee to explain

what happened, reflect back and ask themselves what what happened, reflect back and ask themselves what other course of action they would have takenother course of action they would have taken

Encourage mentees to think for themselvesEncourage mentees to think for themselves Be non judgmental at all timesBe non judgmental at all times

Looking aheadLooking ahead

Mentors to stress that they are available as a Mentors to stress that they are available as a sounding board and for informal advice but sounding board and for informal advice but not to make arrangements for the mentee – not to make arrangements for the mentee – the aim of mentoring is to empower the the aim of mentoring is to empower the mentee to develop and think for themselvesmentee to develop and think for themselves

Mentees should be encouraged to take sole Mentees should be encouraged to take sole responsibility for decision making but the responsibility for decision making but the mentor may give objective support and advicementor may give objective support and advice

Judicial independenceJudicial independence

The good…The good…

Mentor support can be powerfully Mentor support can be powerfully positive and enabling, developing positive and enabling, developing a greater sense of confidence and a greater sense of confidence and enhancing the personal and enhancing the personal and professional skills of both mentor professional skills of both mentor and mentee alike.and mentee alike.

……the bad…the bad…

A less effective mentoring A less effective mentoring relationship can be inhibiting, relationship can be inhibiting, encouraging dependency and encouraging dependency and reducing self-confidence and a reducing self-confidence and a sense of autonomy on the part of sense of autonomy on the part of the mentee.the mentee.

……and the ugly.and the ugly.