MENTOR

See also...
Roles of the Mentee :: Roles of the Participant's Supervisor

Role and Responsibilities

The role of mentor involves unique responsibilities. A good mentor serves the interests of the agency in developing its people, and the employees by coaching them to greater personal development and achievement. The mentor’s responsibilities fall into five categories: communication, strategic planning, teaching, serving as a resource, and coaching.

Communication

Frequent, regular, face-to-face communication is critical to the success of the mentoring program. All parties need to develop a trusting relationship with one another, and mentors must communicate that the interests and success of the employee are top priority. Honesty and openness are essential.

Mentors should:

• work with the mentee to establish a schedule of regular meetings with sufficient time to discuss issues and concerns,
• listen actively, seeking to understand the employee’s perspective,
• communicate clearly by asking questions and summarizing what you have heard,
• uncover assumptions and correct misperceptions,
• convey an interest in the full life of the employee - on and off the job, and be willing to share personal experiences,
• help employees see how their positions and actions will be seen by others, and
• make no promises regarding assignments or promotion opportunities.

Strategic Planning

Personal development can be happenstance, but it is almost always incomplete and longer coming if pursued in an unplanned manner. Employees need help in developing a game plan for their career, i.e., envisioning their future and constructing a strategy to achieve their goals. The mentor plans a key role in this strategic planning by:

• helping the employee outline a basic strategy which will ensure useful work experiences, personal contacts, and exposure to a variety of agency activities,
• helping to identify options and strategies on next steps, and
• working with the employee to develop a time line which includes periodic evaluations.

Teaching

A mentor is a successful, experienced individual who possesses a wealth of information regarding AFM’s history, culture, and operating philosophy, as well as how things get done. Mentors help preserve this knowledge within the agency by teaching it to others.

• share a "big picture" view of ARS and AFM thereby helping the employee understand the philosophy of service and the relationship between program and support units,
• help the employee "learn the ropes" of who’s who, and how things get done,
  

Serving as a Resource

The mentor knows to whom the mentee should talk, where to get necessary information, how to approach an issue, and what expertise is needed for a particular problem. Mentors are a resource for the employee - the person who steers them in the right direction. Here are a few of the ways a mentor can be a resource.

• help the employee develop a network of contacts by suggesting who the employee should get to know,
• share information on the availability of training and developmental opportunities,
• provide business expertise,
• offer appropriate advice and assistance, and
• provide the right help at the right time.

Coaching

A good coach helps his/her players prepare to do their best, and leads them to a level of independent action. Mentees should progress from a stage where they are taught and directed, through a stage where they are coached as they attempt things on their own, to a final stage of independent responsibility and reaching out to mentor others. A coach will:

• provide constructive, frank, and honest feedback and evaluation of the employee’s progress,
• encourage the employee to confront challenges, take reasonable risks, seize opportunities, recognize and overcome problems, and build on strengths, and
• empower employees to act independently and make their own decisions.
  

See also...
Roles of the Mentee :: Roles of the Participant's Supervisor

Program Manager
David L. Carter
USDA - ARS
5601 Sunnyside Avenue
Mail Stop 5108, Room 3-2161
Beltsville, MD 20705-5000
301 504-1007
dcarter@ars.usda.gov