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