About mentoring the teaching and learning

1. Arturo Casadevall, M.D., Ph.D.
Leo and Julia Chair in Microbiology and
Immunology
Professor, Depts. of Microbiology and
Immunology and Medicine
SUCCESSFUL MENTORING

2. "All happy families are alike;
each unhappy family is
unhappy in its own way."
‘All successful people are alike:
Each unsuccessful person is
unsuccessful in its own way’
FIRST SENTENCE OF ANNA KARENINA BY TOLSTOY

3. SOME DEFINITIONS
MENTOR
– a wise and trusted counselor or teacher
– an influential senior sponsor or supporter.
Origin - Greek
In Homer’s Odyssey Telemachus, son of Odysseus was left under
the charge of Mentor. However, it is noteworthy that Athena
disguised herself as Mentor to encourage Telemachus to resist
her mother’s suitors
Hence even in the classical roots of the word there is some
ambiguity as to what the role of Mentor is

4. MORE DEFINITIONS
• SUCCESS
The achievement of something desired,
planned, or attempted
The gaining of fame or prosperity.
• MENTORSHIP
developmental relationship between a more experienced
mentor and a less experienced partner referred to as a
protégé—a person guided and protected by a more prominent
person (WIKIPEDIA)

5. MENTOR RULE 1
TREAT EVERYONE THE SAME AND
DIFFERENTLY AT THE SAME TIME
– NO FAVORITISM
– EVERYONE HAS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
– ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE DIFFERENT
– WHAT WORKS FOR ONE PERSON WON’T WORK FOR
ANOTHER EVEN THOUGH BOTH HAVE SAME POTENTIAL
– PEOPLE GROW AT DIFFERENT TIMES (SOME NEED
LONGER, OTHERS JUST NEED TIME)
– GIVE PEOPLE A BREAK

6. MENTOR RULE 2
CELEBRATE ALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OF MENTEES
– SUCCESS IS SUCCESS
– DON’T MAKE COMPARISONS BETWEEN MENTEES
– SUCCESS BEGETS SUCCESS (A SMALL SUCCESS TODAY
EQUALS GREATER SUCCESS TOMORROW)

7. MENTOR RULE 3
MENTEE SUCCESS = MENTOR SUCCESS
– DON’T COMPETE WITH MENTEE
– INVEST IN MENTEE SUCCESS
– BE GENEROUS WITH PRAISE

8. MENTOR RULE 4
BE GENEROUS: BECOME RICH BY
GIVING THINGS AWAY
– THE MORE YOU PROTECT THE LESS YOU HAVE
– IN SCIENCE YOU DON’T OWN ANYTHING
– BE GENEROUS WITH PROJECTS, REAGENTS, MATERIALS,
MONEY

9. MENTOR RULE 5
YOUR STRUGGLES ARE NOT THE
STRUGGLES OF YOUR MENTEES
– YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES ARE PROBLABLY IRRELEVANT
TO THE MENTEE (THINK OF YOUR OWN TRAINING AS
ANCIENT HISTORY)
– TIMES HAVE CHANGED!!!- GET OVER IT
– DON’T BURDEN OTHERS WITH YOUR BURDENS
– LEAVE YOUR BAGGAGE OUTSIDE THE LAB
– JUST BECAUSE YOU WORKED A 96 HOUR WEEK DOES
NOT MEAN THAT OTHERS NEED TO – MAYBE YOU WERE
JUST INEFFICIENT

10. MENTOR RULE 6
ALWAYS MAKE YOUR MENTEES A
PRIORITY -- NO MATTER WHAT
-THEIR LETTERS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN
YOUR GRANTS
- ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOUR MENTEE IS A
PERSON – SOMEBODY’S KID, BROTHER, OR
SISTER

11. MENTOR RULE 7
THE RELATIONSHIP IS PROFESSIONAL,
NOT PERSONAL
– WORK WITH MENTEES IN A FRIENDLY AND SUPPORTIVE
MANNER
– YOU ARE A MENTOR NOW – YOU MAY BE A COLLEAGUE
LATER

12. MENTOR RULE 8
IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG – TAKE
THE BLAME
– THE LAW OF REVERSE GRAVITY: IN A
LINE OF COMMAND BIG TIME ‘STOOL’
ALWAYS FLOATS UPWARD
– PROTECT YOUR PEOPLE
– ACCEPT BLAME (YOU WILL BE BLAMED
ANYWAY)

13. MENTOR RULE 9
ALWAYS GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE
DOUBT TO OTHERS, INCLUDING
– MENTEES
– COLLABORATORS
– COMPETITORS
– ADMINISTRATORS
– REVIEWERS

14. MENTOR RULE 10
BECOME A STUDENT AND ADMIRER OF
HUMAN NATURE
"The finest qualities of our nature, like
the bloom on fruits, can be preserved
only by the most delicate handling. Yet
we do not treat ourselves nor one
another thus tenderly." – Walden by
Thoreau