Human Nature | 2.3 Mentoring | 8) Responsibilities of mentors | 8.4) Teach by words and example

8.4) Teach by words and example

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Although not all role models are automatically good mentors, the demonstration of good skills and behavior is a necessary element of mentoring. If a mentor argues for rigorous authorship criteria but fails to follow his or her own advice, then lessons learned by the trainee may include that the mentor is an unreliable source of information, that the standards of conduct in research are poorly defined, and that the mentor is, unfortunately, a hypocrite. For a mentor, the lesson is that actions speak louder than words. However, it is still important that mentors make explicit the often implicit rationale for their behavior, because the policy and philosophy that underlie even the most exemplary behavior may be esoteric to the uninformed observer. This is especially true for observers who have a different cultural background.
Author: Michael Kalichman
Maintained By: Anne Jackson
Last Updated: 2007-03-19