Thread by @jteoh_hk

Sharing the 10 Golden Rules for being a good mentor! Mentoring is a learning process and we should be more mindful about our mentoring approaches. These are the words of wisdoms by Nobel Laureate Robert Lefkowitz. @dukemedicine @dukebiochem @CUHKMedicine @insidehighered (1/n)

#1 Tailor mentoring to each individual’s needs. Every trainee is different. Every trainee has his/her own personality, strengths & weaknesses. Some need a daily pat on the shoulder; some need a kick in the pants. We need to find the specific approaches that work for them. (2/n)

#2 Encourage focus. As a mentor, we should provide guidance on the big picture. It is good to allow flexibility, but it is also easy to lose focus and get distracted by insignificant details. We should gently adjust the fine-tuning knob to keep the student in focus. (3/n)

#3 Fan the flames of enthusiasm. Students can work on any projects they want, as soon as he/she is excited about it, and you are excited about it. Research is 90% failure - A vital role for mentors is to keep trainees pumped up so they can make it through the hard times. (4/n)

#4 Teach trainees to build their careers around problems, not techniques. Encourage “technical courage”, which is the fearlessness for scholars to work on an important problem and commit themselves to learning whatever techniques are necessary to address that problem. (5/n)

#5 Promote risk taking. Researchers who're afraid to take risks will never reach their full potential. Pursuing ideas that cut against existing paradigms always seems risky, which is why mentors must encourage boldness when projects start moving into uncharted waters. (6/n)

#6 Model dogged persistence. Just telling trainees to work hard is not enough, mentors should always ACT as role models. Feedback fast, reply fast, respond fast! The best way for mentors to encourage persistence and hard work is simply to model such behavior themselves. (7/n)

#7 Empower trainees. People achieve their maximum level of motivation when they feel ownership over their work. Give guidance and directions, but try to avoid micromanagement. The primary goal is to mentor your students to become true independent researchers in the future. (8/n)

#8 Emphasize storytelling. Data are just data. A story is something you impose on the data. Tell a story that explains the data. Present multiple stories that may explain the data and propose future studies that will help to discern which narrative is closer to the truth. (9/n)

#9 Laugh & have fun. The more people are laughing, the more creative they become. Getting a joke is like making a little discovery: you have a flash of insight and suddenly see a funny connection that you didn’t see before. Creativity sets the stage for future inspirations.(10/n)

#10 Respect your own mentors. Everyone needs mentoring, even seasoned mentors. Mentoring is not something you do just for a couple of years while someone is working with you; the position of mentor is a lifetime appointment, much like being a parent and a friend for life. (11/11)

I really enjoyed this read and I hope you find it useful.

Full text can be accessed via this link: insidehighered.com/advice/2021/01…

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