Excerpt from the Introduction
Having a good mentor early in a scholarly career can mean the difference between success and failure. It is striking that such an important activity in the training of new scholars has had few established definitions of effective practice. Many who take on the responsibility of mentoring do so without a primer, drawing on informal resources and personal mentoring experiences. We hope this resource helps change that, by addressing many of the common questions and dilemmas mentors face and identifying specific strategies and resources that can help you develop your own mentoring skills. The guide addresses four themes: 1) building and maintaining mentoring relationships, 2) mentoring across difference, 3) supporting career development, and 4) managing conflict within mentoring relationships. While the experiences and reflections of individuals connected to the William T. Grant Foundation’s Scholars Program are woven throughout the guide, the strategies and resources included here are relevant for any mentor or advisor, particularly those working in academic settings with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
