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Some problems in a mentoring relationship are trickier because they involve a number of different stakeholders. Conversely, however, both you and your mentee have a network of formal and informal supports to turn to when something goes wrong.
Here is a tricky scenario to think through:
Scenario:
Scenario:
You are a graduate student who has recently been assigned your first mentee, a high school student who is new to your research field but very enthusiastic. She has worked in the research group for several months now, and recently has been working with another graduate student and an undergraduate researcher on a side project. During your weekly meeting, she seems very hesitant and uncertain about what to say. Finally she mentions that the two other students that she has been working with have been talking about their dating lives, with explicit details and comments that make her very uncomfortable.
Who are the stakeholders who need to be involved or informed in this scenario? If you are not directly in charge of the two other students, who else might it be appropriate to bring in to help solve the problem?
Who else could you ask for advice or help in this scenario?
What would your solution be?
Who else might be available to your student if they need additional support or help?
Being a mentor means you are charged with ethical and legal responsibilities. It would be a good idea as you begin mentoring to identify campus resources for emergencies, such as the counseling center, or be familiar with what workplace issues need to be addressed by your institution’s Title IX representative or Minor Protections office. Making sure you have your own support network to turn to for advice means you aren’t alone when something goes wrong. You may also wish to have your mentee identify their own support network as part of starting their mentoring experience to ensure they know who they can turn to for help with different types of problems.
Nobody can prevent or be prepared for every situation, and there are many different ways to work through problems when they occur! But communication, reflection, and identifying support are all strategies to help you work through.
Now that you've learned about the tools and insights needed to be a transformational mentor, it's time to put that knowledge to the test in the final assessment and take the final step toward your certification.
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