Journal Club Q&A by Erin

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 15:59:33 UTC

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 16:01:35 UTC

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 16:07:25 UTC

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 16:08:25 UTC

What resources (videos, podcast, articles, blogs, etc) would you recommend to enhance they key arguments in this article?

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 16:15:10 UTC

What unanswered questions do you have after reading this article?

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 16:19:45 UTC

What connections can you make between this article and your own experiences?

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 16:20:17 UTC

How does this article confirm or challenge your thinking on the role of mentorship?

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 16:20:58 UTC

All classmates in EDU5127 are encouraged to post any questions or comments they have relating to the ideas presented. Thank you!

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 16:57:05 UTC

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 17:01:18 UTC

The Science of Mentorship

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 17:09:35 UTC

Question

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 17:15:13 UTC

Is there current data/research on the intersectionality of males and females in leadership/mentorship positions in the field of health care?

Article - Trigger Warning #MeToo Movement

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 17:22:33 UTC

Connections

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 17:33:57 UTC

In my last role as a educational consultant, I had been involved in the multiple mentoring model, which meant I was mentored by several mentors simultaneously, noting that each
mentor was facilitating the development of a particular area. I had one dyadic mentor, who officially took on the role of formally meeting with me to discuss my goals, challenges, skills, and well-being. We both identified as female and had a positive experience. I also had several mentors who identified as male. These were supervisory officers who oversaw different portfolios in education. These individuals mentored me in solving complex problems and thinking creatively and critically about issues relating to education. This too was a positive experience, but we never discussed well-being or met formally to discuss. Gender played a role in the degree in which both the mentor and mentee engaged. This leaves me to question how much of this is systemic and how much of this is learned socialization behaviours? Either way, I felt I benefited from having a diversity of mentorship models to experience. Moving forward, I hope to seek ways to continue to diversify the mentorship models I engage with.

Question

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 17:35:56 UTC

How does the literature presented here compare to mentorship modes in other industries like private sector, law, and education?

Podcast - Mentorship Matters

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 17:41:16 UTC

Confirms & Challenges

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 17:44:05 UTC

Confirms - this article confirms my thinking that women face systemic barriers when it comes to mentorship in the workplace.

Challenges - this article challenges me to think about stereotypical male and female dichotomies (ie. are all males goal/achievement oriented and all women well-being and collaborative oriented? when it comes to mentorship?

What style of mentorship is most relevant to your professional context? How has this helped you develop in your role?

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-16 17:48:20 UTC

Question

2023-10-17 04:56:38 UTC

I am curious if there is any research out there on formal vs informal mentorship and if one of these is more beneficial?

Question

2023-10-17 04:58:02 UTC

I wonder if there are any validated criteria for setting up formal mentorship relationships - should mentees/mentors be matched based on personality? career path? gender?randomly?

Connections

2023-10-17 05:01:38 UTC

I work in health care and feel very grateful to have many different types of mentors. Some mentors have been arranged formally through mentorship programs, however most often, my mentorship relationships have occurred organically.

Mentorship style

2023-10-17 05:03:10 UTC

Working in health care, all of these mentorship types have been applied to me at one point or another. However, the most important mentors have been those that occurred informally.

Confirms & Challenges

2023-10-17 05:17:17 UTC

Confirms - this article confirms my experience of gender disparity in senior academic positions

Challenges - this article challenges me to think about how to facilitate mentorship for ethnic minorities

Adam Grant on Mentoring

2023-10-18 17:28:34 UTC

The Three Big Myths of Mentoring

2023-10-18 17:34:13 UTC

Answers

2023-10-18 21:39:41 UTC

Yes, there is a lot out there. I found this scholarly article that might help you explore formal vs. informal forms of menorship.

Answer

2023-10-18 21:47:23 UTC

Here is a neat video that explores how some have approached the matching process from a skills, gender, equity, and inclusion perspective.

Answer

2023-10-18 21:50:36 UTC

Yes, here is a great article to explore in regards to intersectionality in leadership as exists in health care. It links with our articles argument that women face systemic barriers in mentorship/mentee roles.

Answer

2023-10-18 21:55:12 UTC

Here is an website to consider when making this comparison.

Connections

erin_v_doak — 2023-10-20 19:28:40 UTC

I find role modelling an interesting concept in the mentor/mentee relationship. Sometimes the mentee just needs a mentor to be human and authentic, as we are more than just an employee coming to work. We are entering into these workspaces with many layers and complexities in our lives. There is a fine balance between remaining professional and being a friend, as we've seen in previous articles in this course and in the Better Conversations book. I have to make a concerted effort to remain on that line. I want to be genuine with mentees/mentors - as I am/have both, but I do find there is a struggle of "what is the right thing to say/do" and "what is the honest thing to say/do" Personally, I know the difference, so when a mentor gives me the "right thing to say vs. the honest thing to say" I respect them for upholding what they believe is professional standards, but I lose trust. On the other hand, when a mentor gives me "too much honesty and not enough of the professional/political response" I lose respect, but not necessarily trust. I trust people that allow you to know exactly where you stand with them, but I respect people make you toe a line of professionalism all the time. The questions is, what is more important in mentorship - trust or respect? What is the best way to be a role model who is both authentic and professional?

Age and Mentorship

2023-10-21 17:40:45 UTC

I would be very excited to see some future research when it comes to the age of mentor-mentee relationships.

What dynamics in a mentor-mentee relationship change when the mentee is older than the mentor? Are these relationships successful?

Mentorship Style in Education

2023-10-21 17:46:13 UTC

I believe that a team-based style is the most effective leadership style in education. Due to the number of stakeholders in the educational landscape, there are often a number of people and opinions when it comes to any given situation that directly involves this student. For that reason, a team-based mentorship style is vital for the mentor-mentee working in this setting.

Mutual Mentoring

2023-10-21 17:49:03 UTC

This article provides a solution for the lack of mentors available and discusses the concept of "Mutual Mentoring".

This is a creative solution to address the need for more mentors!

Mentors’ Beliefs About Their Roles in Health Care Education

ngoug020_ — 2023-10-21 18:52:33 UTC

Hello, Group and Classmates!

I think this article is a fantastic additional resource related to mentorship, as the article we chose discusses mentoring models and methods of delivery (team, peer mentoring, etc.). The attached article is a resourceful tool as it discusses intent: using the educational theory (the how) of teaching to decide what mode of mentorship (intent) works best in relation to a professional context.

"Awareness of their mentoring position can help mentors understand why they act the way they do in certain situations and how this behavior affects their mentees’ learning and development. It can also help mentors identify personal learning needs and, consequently, provide opportunities for faculty development."

Simply, as a mentor, understanding your goals, needs, values, and interests will help establish the mentor role you choose, enabling a sense of trust and mutual respect as both roles (mentor and mentee) are considered; in turn, facilitating learning opportunities - as discussed in our article summary.

Kind regards, Nicole

The Importance of Mentorship (health field).

ngoug020_ — 2023-10-21 19:08:18 UTC

Hello, Group and Classmates!

Our article briefly discusses culture, so I thought this video/blog would be a great addition as it discusses the role of mentor vs. mentee from the perspective of diverse cultures. Most interestingly, how important the role of the mentor is to the mentee and vice versa (medical journey) and how being invested in one another is "key to a successful relationship." This is essential to recognize, as cultural mentoring enables people from diverse backgrounds to share and gain insight from and with one another.

Kind regards, Nicole

Virtual Mentoring

ngoug020_ — 2023-10-21 19:22:16 UTC

Hello, Group and classmates!

The article touched upon this topic briefly (p. 631); however, as technology is an essential component - not only in the health and science field but education overall (for example, this course and program offered at Ottawa U), I think it is vital to discuss and evaluate the role virtual mentorship has now and in the future! Mentors and mentees may be in different locations, and learning how to mentor effectively is critical for the mentee's success and, more importantly, how to maintain and foster meaningful relationships and personal connections.

I find the flexibility and convenience of virtual mentoring an advantage as team members can meet at a convenient time for all, and there is a more significant amount (colleges - both mentor and mentee to participate) available within an organization - the virtual space allows everyone to participate!

Kind regards, Nicole

ANSWER

ngoug020_ — 2023-10-21 19:39:28 UTC

Hello, group and classmates!

One of the essential concepts I learned from the article is the importance of understanding what type of mentor you want to be - meaning - that the various mentorship models can be utilized across varying professions based on the organizations or personalized needs, wants, goals, and objectives as a mentor vs. mentee. The article discusses mentor responsibilities such as providing guidance and feedback while at the same time providing the mentee with support throughout the learning process (varying modes). If that is the main focus, then that can be translated across all professions: find a method that works best for the mentor and mentee.

Kind regards, Nicole

ANSWER

ngoug020_ — 2023-10-21 20:11:30 UTC

Hello, group and classmates!

Here is an article specifically relating to the gap in leadership regarding gender in health care. As I am not in the health care profession, I admit I find this fascinating. Are there more male doctors than females? Are there more female nurses than male? Our article states, "With respect to surgery, there is a significant disproportion and underrepresentation of women in leadership and higher income roles of surgical departments and surgical specialties" (p. 634).
How does that affect the roles of mentor vs. mentee concerning leadership, and does that somehow contribute to a negative power dynamic (position of authority, expertise, status, or resource), in turn contributing to poor communication, accountability, conflict, company culture, sexism, unconscious bias, etc.? As a leader and mentor, there are many components to consider (mode, qualities, benefits). Still, I hope the focus can primarily be on mitigating the negative power dynamics and establishing trusting relationships that set out to model desired behaviours that support gender diversity, leadership, and management. There must be many mentors and mentees within the health profession who all contribute and foster a positive and supporting learning environment, holding everyone accountable - as per the professional roles and responsibilities of not only the mentor but mentee as well (support, effective communication, and collaboration, acceptance, problem-solving, role model, respect, etc.). I think the first step is acknowledging this power dynamic exists.

Kind regards, Nicole

What mentoring and coaching models support cultural diversity?

idahu082 — 2023-10-21 20:23:16 UTC

There are ways to modify existing mentoring and coaching models to support diversity. Here is a website that gives some tips on using reverse mentoring to increase diversity and inclusion.

Connections

idahu082 — 2023-10-21 20:35:54 UTC

I really connected with the part of the article that talks about diversity and mentoring. As an individual from a different cultural background than a lot of my peers, having a mentor who understands my cultural background can be helpful for me when navigating the workplace. There are so many unwritten rules that those who grow up here in Canada know but as an immigrant coming from a different culture, I am not aware of these rules! Having a mentor from my cultural background who understands the system and the rules would have been beneficial to me when I joined the workforce in Canada.

Mentorship Style

idahu082 — 2023-10-21 20:42:33 UTC

I think group mentorship would work well for my professional context because there is room for peer interaction which can be very helpful in the field of education. Peer interaction can promote collaboration and collective learning.

ANSWER

ngoug020_ — 2023-10-21 21:16:37 UTC

Hello, group and classmates!

I think an effective mode of mentorship that fosters cultural diversity would be, as the above article supports, peer mentoring. Our group's article states that "peer mentoring is very collaborative and mutually beneficial as the relationship is formed among the mentor's peers or colleagues. In this situation, the mentee may be more inclined to share their difficulties and questions with peers who are at an equal or similar level of knowledge and seniority, as opposed to senior faculty" (p. 631).

I think this is an effective strategy as pairing up peers allows for collaboration amongst those with similar goals, interests, and challenges. I feel it promotes understanding and respect while valuing different perspectives among diverse groups in an empowering way.

Kind regards, Nicole

ANSWER: RESPONSE TO REVERSE MENTORING

ngoug020_ — 2023-10-21 21:29:19 UTC

Hello, group and classmates!

I had not heard the term reverse mentoring until I read the article above. I think this is an invaluable concept and highly effective for promoting inclusion and diversity in the workplace. I think the fundamental idea within the reverse mentorship framework is that it is about the sharing of perspectives that are different from their own (mentor vs. mentee); it provides insight, bridging the gap between different cultures, age groups, gender groups, etc. fostering collaboration and the sharing of knowledge, breaking down stereotypes, contributing to a positive workplace environment.

Kind regards, Nicole

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: REVERSE MENTORING

ngoug020_ — 2023-10-21 21:33:47 UTC

Hello, group and classmates!

Here is another little blurb about reverse mentoring from the link above!

Benefits of reverse mentoring

The reverse mentoring programme will:

Create the opportunity for the mentee to hear diverse perspectives, to generate better awareness and understanding of inclusion, and ultimately inspire action within their own organizations.
Create the opportunity for under-represented groups to share their views on inclusion and build a senior network.
Connect people across different companies and help build cross-industry networks.

How does it work?
Mentoring partnerships are made up of two individuals from different, non-competing companies across the food and consumer goods industry.
Reverse mentoring partnerships comprise:

A mentee – a senior person who can impact the business culture (typically Director, General Manager, Head of level). Someone looking to broaden their understanding of inclusion and who wants to be part of leading change in our industry.
A reverse mentor from an under-represented background who would benefit from the opportunity to grow an external network and support a mentee to broaden their knowledge and understanding of inclusion. Someone who wants to be part of leading change in our industry.

Hope you enjoy and kind regards, Nicole

Connections

ngoug020_ — 2023-10-22 15:43:27 UTC

Hello, group and classmates!

As a previous ECE and current analyst manager for CRA, many connections regarding mentoring have been and are currently relevant between the article and my experiences that allow me to develop as a manager and previous mentor to early childhood educators.

One of the most valuable connections I have made beyond my mentorship style is the skills and abilities "deemed necessary in defining an ideal mentor" (Henry-Noel et al., 2018, p. 631). I feel that my skills and abilities as a mentor have progressed as I have learned, coinciding with my current learning from the summarized article for this assignment. Sometimes, I lose focus on the skills necessary and have been guilty of being quite didactic. As a previous ECE, I was always approachable but only occasionally available as I was finding my way as a mentor, student, and employee. My experiences in connection to this article confirm my thoughts regarding mentorship in terms of focusing on skills I can gain as a mentor, leader, and manager; most important to me are trust, respect, flexibility, and understanding of others' perspectives.
For example, as a younger ECE on my educational and professional journey, I was often asked to mentor students in the ECE program. I enjoyed this responsibly immensely, but as I was beginning to develop my skills, I realized now that I had much to learn regarding my communication skills, expanding my viewpoints and considering new ways to approach situations. This article has allowed me to make a deep connection to my understanding that I, as the mentor, was learning, along with the mentee, and that was acceptable - we were both on a journey of learning and discovery, a partnership as "each mentor [and mentee] brings a different knowledge, but that also has interaction and communication between the several mentors whereby facilitating more efficient and effective mentoring" (Henry-Noel et al., 2018, p. 632). I have learned that partnerships are critical to everyone's success and that effective communication and collaboration "is mutually beneficial as the relationship is formed among the mentors, peers, or colleagues" (Henry-Noel et al., 2018, p. 632).

Kind regards, Nicole

Mentorship Style

ngoug020_ — 2023-10-22 16:56:33 UTC

Hello, group and classmates!

I have used many mentorship styles in my professional journey as an ECE, Human Resources Rep., and in a few positions in the government, currently, an Analyst Manager. I find many skills within the various mentorship frameworks often overlap (collaboration, feedback, role-modeling, partnership, trust, communication, etc.), allowing me to utilize different modes regarding specific professional contexts based on the mentee's needs.

As an analyst manager, historically, my mentor style has been quite didactic as there are so many policies and procedures to implement, often a barrier to establishing effective communication and collaboration as I am just purging information. Usually one-on-one (various stakeholders determine skills necessary for roles), I do, however, provide guidance and monitor progress, identifying strengths and weaknesses and helping the mentee achieve their professional goals within the organization (Henry-Noel et al., 2018, p. 631). As I have progressed professionally and personally, I place immense value on collaboration and establishing meaningful relational partnerships with mentors and mentees that are authentic and that contribute to the concept of shared knowledge. It has been my experience that authenticity and collaboration are vital to a successful mentor vs. mentee relationship, regardless of what style one chooses to implement, dependant more on characteristics that define an effective mentor, calling upon the skills necessary at the time.

My goal, however, is to remain focused on the team atmosphere and mentor/mentee attributes, employing all to mentor one another while fostering leadership skills, which strengthens an organizational culture (participation) as "a successful mentorship program hinges on... the anticipated goals of a mentorship relationship, and characteristics of the participants" (Henry-Noel et al., 2018, p. 632).

Kind regards, Nicole

Confirmations & Challenges

ngoug020_ — 2023-10-22 17:13:46 UTC

Hello, group and classmates!

Confirmations: As a previous teammate mentioned, this article has confirmed my assumptions that regarding culture and gender, many barriers contribute to systemic power dynamics within the health profession that contribute to ineffective mentor/mentee relationships that minimize opportunities for these groups to advance professionally.

Challenges: An imminent challenge in the health field would be how (mentorship programs, policies, procedures, and awareness), to mitigate systemic oppression for genders and cultures to ensure workplace environments and mentor/mentee relationships promote inclusivity and knowledge sharing as "while there is an increase in the diversity of females and ethnicities of medical student applicants, students, residents, and physicians, there must be continual implementation of mentoring programs that tackle ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender diversity" (Henry-Noel et al., 2018, p. 636).

Kind regards, Nicole

2023-11-04 04:18:56 UTC

A thought-provoking topic.

Not being in medicine, I rarely consider the male-female dynamic in this field, although if you pushed me on it, I would guess that the domain of surgeons is very masculine in its orientation. Much like working in a kitchen, I would imagine there's a great deal of yelling, ordering around and tremendous pressure. The hours would be long and unpredictable. Patients would die on the table in front of you, sometimes because of a mistake you've made. The list of responsibilities required of a surgeon make this a specialisation that most men wouldn't dare undertake, let alone women. In the end, however, all that matters is one's skill and I would hope that we could open up more pathways for women so that they can successfully achieve their dream of being a surgeon.

While I hesitate at the thought of establishing sex quotas for surgeons, I certainly approve of facilitating women's growth in this area via a mentoring approach. It's not clear to me that the competitive world of medicine lends itself to this, however.

Oh well, I guess I'll add this issue to my long list of criticisms of our medical system. ;)

-Peter Moore

Response

2023-11-07 11:50:55 UTC

Thank you for your response, Peter. I would agree that more pathways should be open for women given what the research shows. As a next step for those in the health care field, I would want to look at what those pathway might look like and identify the barriers to those - other than their gender ;) However, as you mentioned, with such a strained health care system in Canada, mentorship might fall to the side while they try and sustain themselves.

Poll Question

2023-11-12 17:51:16 UTC

Great presentation and use of an interactive online platform to facilitate the discussion among us classmates :)

I would appear that nearly everyone chose "approachable" as the most necessary interpersonal ability for a mentor. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this. Based on your knowledge and personal experiences, why do you believe that is so?

Sarah McAllister

Response

erin_v_doak — 2023-11-13 10:26:20 UTC

Hi Sarah,

Thanks for the question. For me, coaching and mentoring is about relationships, and in my experience, the better the relationship, the more profound the experience. I think the mentee needs to feel comfortable asking questions and being honest/vulnerable in the learning journey to grow. If they can't approach the mentor/coach with questions or struggles, then they become passive consumers of knowledge and experience, and it's surface-level growth. When they can approach the mentor/coach with their questions and challenges, the mentor can get to know them on a deeper level and can help provide more personalized guidance. I suppose, in a sense, it depends on the objective too. If it's a skill someone is trying to learn, (ie. how to use Excel) perhaps its not as significant as if it's a job they are trying to learn long-term.

Comment

bmcca098_ — 2023-11-19 17:45:12 UTC

This presentation and padlet were so detailed! I can tell how much care, thought and time was put into it. It is disappointing, but not surprising, to hear about the challenges that females face in the medical field in terms of mentorship. Thanks for sharing your presentation!