Fostering Independence in Mentees

An important goal in any mentoring relationship is helping the mentee become independent, yet defining what an independent mentee knows and can do is often not articulated by the mentor or the mentee. Defining what independence looks like and developing skills to foster independence are important to becoming an effective mentor. Defining independence becomes increasingly complex in the context of collaboration.

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Define independence, its core elements, and how those elements change over the course of a mentoring relationship
• Employ various strategies to build their mentee’s confidence, establish trust, and demonstrate independence
• Create an environment in which mentees can achieve their goals