Mentorship is a very significant aspect of leadership
development. A mentor shares wisdom and
provides guidance to a mentee. Mentoring
is a learning relationship. One of the
most important facets of leadership is influence, and when you are mentoring,
you are providing influence to an aspiring leader. It is important for pharmacists to be
mentors, as many younger pharmacists need the advice and guidance of pharmacist
mentors to develop and enhance their leadership skills.
A mentor should be someone that a mentee can respect and
trust, and has been through the things the mentee will be experiencing. A mentor is a career advocate who is focused
on helping the mentee advance in their organization. Mentors provide strategies for success to
their mentees. Mentoring is a very
rewarding experience for both the mentor and the mentee. As a mentor and as a mentee, you will both
give and receive during the mentoring process.
Listening and feedback are vital to the mentor - mentee relationship.
Overall, mentoring is winning. The mentor wins because of the satisfaction of
knowing he/she have made a significant difference in the life of the
mentee. The mentee wins because of their
career growth and development. The organization
wins because the mentee may be less likely to leave, increased employee
engagement, and a stronger leader has emerged.
A mentor/mentee relationship can be face to face meetings
at the workplace or at another site, or can be conducted via telephone for distant
mentor/mentee relationships. A mentor
can provide advice to a mentee anywhere in the country. Mentoring sessions should be scheduled as
appointments on your calendars at appropriate intervals that are convenient for
both the mentor and mentee, and conducive to learning.
I feel very fortunate that the Department of Veterans
Affairs has had a formal mentoring program for several years. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
National Mentor Certification Program initially provides core training as the
foundation. Enrolled mentors have the
ability to attain Resident Level Mentor Certification after 25 hours of
practical experience and documentation as a mentor, and Fellow Level Mentor
Certification after 50 hours of practical experience and documentation as a
mentor with designation as a VHA Certified Mentor. As a mentor, I provided positive influence
and valuable learning experiences to my mentees.
All pharmacists should enroll in programs at their
medical centers, health-systems, or pharmacies to be a mentor and/or mentee. Find a mentor at any level of your pharmacy
career.
It is also important to enroll in the ASHP Connect Mentor
Match program, as a mentor, mentee, or both to enable our members to establish
mentoring relationships. If you want to
develop your leadership abilities, please consider ASHP Connect Mentor
Match. If you have not signed up yet,
please use the following link to enroll: http://connect.ashp.org/mentoring1
Additional Resources:
Mentoring
& Preceptor Development - Paying it Forward (ASHP Resource Page)
“How
to find and succeed as a mentor” ; Sara J. White and Jennifer E. Tryon; Am J
Health Syst Pharm June 15, 2007 64:1258-1259
Glen
Albracht, MS, PharmD, VHA-CM
Chief
of Pharmacy
W.G.
Hefner VA Medical Center
Salisbury,
NC 28144
(704)
638-3441