Excellence Everywhere - National University of Ireland, Galway

formal advising relationships become strained,or when the personal or professional interests ofthe trainee differ from those of the formal mentor,or when a young person’s best interests are notthose of his or her advisor, supervisor, or boss.Perspective becomes even more importantas careers advance and ranges of conflictingopportunities come into play.Traits of a Good Mentor and a Good Teacher.As you establish yourself as a scientist, you mayfind that some of the following personal qualitiesare useful in forming bonds with someone who isjust learning the things you have already learned:n Accessibility: An open door and an approachableattitude.n Consistency: Acting on your stated principles ona regular basis.n Empathy: Personal insight into what the traineeis experiencing.n Honesty: Ability to communicate the hardtruths about the world “out there” and about thetrainee’s chances.n Open-mindedness: Respect for each trainee’sindividuality and for working styles and careergoals different from your own.n Patience: Awareness that people make mistakesand that each person matures at his or her own rate.n Savvy: Attention to the pragmatic aspects ofcareer development.Confidentiality in Advising. As a trainer, andespecially as a mentor, you may be privy to a lotof information about your trainees, from theirpast professional accomplishments and failuresto, sometimes, revelations about their personalrelationships and financial situations. Even inplaces where discussing family matters, emotions,or money is just not done, personal obligationsand financial realities are frequently major factorsin individuals’ progress through life and science—especially for those considering major upheavalssuch as going abroad for further training or jobopportunities. Your advice can be very helpful ifyou can bring yourself to discuss these taboo areaswith younger scientists who trust your judgment.You should treat all information as confidential.ResponsibilitiesMentoring entails commitments of time, energy,and good will that can sometimes be substantial.But that is also true for trainees you are notmentoring. A significant portion of your time mustbe allocated to each trainee, and you must be preparedto obtain the resources the trainee needs.Your “pull” will accomplish things that a lessestablishedtrainee’s own influence cannot. Youshould also use your experience and contacts tohelp the trainee establish a professional network,whether or not you are looking at the trainee interms of the special responsibility implicit in thementoring relationship.Choosing Whom to Mentor and to Teach. Youwill have to make case-by-case judgments aboutwhich training relationships you can afford toenter into and how intensive each one should be.There are some people for whom you are clearlyresponsible as a teacher and advisor, such as thepeople working in your lab. The students in yourcourses also have legitimate expectations of you.Others, outside your lab or courses, may cometo you for advice. But you will not go the extramile for every person who comes into your lab oreven for all of the students who take your courses.Some people are more promising than others, andyou will want to nurture their talents.At the same time, you want to be fair—whenyou agree to teach, you are taking on significantresponsibilities. Some students will have interestsclosely related to yours, and it is natural for you towant to work closely with them. Others will showpromise, but will be needy in some respect; forexample, their skills may not be fully developedor they may need help focusing their efforts. Donot pick a few favorites and let other trainees fendfor themselves. With the people in your lab, theimportant thing is to be fair and avoid anointingsome trainees with your favor while letting othersstruggle. With people outside your lab who ask foryour help, you need to avoid overextending yourselfor setting up expectations you cannot fulfill.expanding your influence: training the next generation of scientists137