[Csi-L] Mentoring Pointers

[Henry, Jessica]

Hello All:  Reading over an article and thought I might share. These helpful strategies can assist you in being a more effective mentor to the new students within the program. Hope this is helpful.

                                                                                     Mentor Functions and Helpful Tips

Mentors are typically defined as individuals with advanced experience and knowledge who are COMMITTED to providing support for the purpose of increasing career advancement of junior organizational members or their protégés.
					         (Kram, 1983, 1985, as cited in Ghosh & Reio, 2013)

Psychosocial SUPPORT functions are “those aspects of a relationship that enhance an individual’s sense of competence, identity, and effectiveness in a professional role” 
						(Kram, 1983, p.32 as cited in Ghosh & Reio, 2013)
These functions include: 
1)	Acceptance and Confirmation 
a.)	To accept and confirm the protégés, mentors are reported to convey feelings of respect, signal approval, even in times of failure, convey unconditional positive regard and accept their protégés as competence colleagues.
2)	Counseling 
a.)	To show empathy for concerns, encourage to talk openly about anxiety, and act as sounding board for the protégé to understand him/herself
3)	Friendship
a.)	To be a confidant, interact socially and spend leisure discussing a variety of non-work interests
4)	Role Modeling
a.)	Represent someone who the protégé might want to emulate, display appropriate attitudes, values, skills, and behaviors, and demonstrate ethical integrity as strong professionals
(as cited in Ghosh & Reio, 2013)

Best, 

Jessica S. Henry, MRC., CTRS
President of Chi Sigma Iota, Alpha Chapter
Counselor Education and Supervision Program 
Gladys W.& David H. Patton College of Education 
Ohio University