The First 500 - A report on London Deanery's Coaching ... - Mentoring

Previous experience of mentoringApplicants to become a mentor in the service were asked abouttheir previous experience or training. While only 39/152 (26%) hadbeen on some form of formal training in mentoring, most felt thatthey had carried out a mentoring role, formal or informal, usuallywith junior colleagues or students at their place of work. After thethree day training many recognised that their previous ‘mentoring’largely related to patronage or advice giving and this differed, fromthe model of mentoring promoted within the Deanery’s service.I have not done any official mentoring training“up do date but as a senior doctor in my trustand having finished my training a while ago Ialways find myself in a position of giving careeradvice and help to other people.”(Consultant)Motivation to become a mentorWhen asked on the application form to give their reasons forwanting to become a mentor almost everyone referred to theirdesire to help others, give something back, make a difference.Several saw this as an extension of their role as a doctor -improving patient care through supporting colleagues. Somecommented on the help they had themselves received at difficulttimes, or they wished they had received. <strong>The</strong>re was a strongsense of empathy with younger colleagues facing careercrossroads, making important career transitions, or coping withorganisational change.I would like to be a “Yoda” or “Mr Miyagi” to an“aspiring or young consultant, hopefully passingon what experience I can impart in guiding/developing someone else’s career. Professionalloneliness or lack of guidance can be a problemin senior positions.”(Consultant)I think general practice can be a very isolating“job and the more we can do to bring in formalnetworks to decrease this the better, peoplebecome very set in their ways, even in largegroup practices as partners, and often don’tlook at their way of work.”(GP)A few made the point that they expected the relationship would beenriching for them too.I have always enjoyed supporting my colleagues“and peers in their personal and professionaldevelopment and the development of theirpractices. This aspect of my work has enrichedmy own personal/professional developmentover many years.”(GP)That the mentors’ own performance might benefit initially came assomething of a surprise to mentors. However during the trainingsessions it was clear that mentors were struck by the differencein impact between a problem solving, advice-giving approachand an actively listening, questioning approach, and readily madeconnections to the way they dealt with their own staff and patients.Doing mentoring has changed the way I talk to“people – patients, juniors, colleagues. Even myfamily has noticed!”(Consultant)<strong>The</strong> benefit to mentors was confirmed in a questionnaire surveysent to active mentors during the second year, of whom 49responded. (Charts 3 and 4)London Deanery Coaching and Mentoring Service 23