Setting Matching Criteria Setting Matching Criteria
What to match mentors and mentees on, and what research says about it.
What this presentation covers
What this presentation covers
What this presentation covers
What to match on
Start from a list of criteria
MENTOR’s standard lists interests, availability, goals, strengths, experience and stated preferences.
- Interests
- Location
- Availability
- Goals
- Strengths
- Experience
- Personality
- Preferences
Why shared values matter
Shared values count the most
Of all factors before a match, shared values and personality mattered most to mentees.
Surface and deep similarity
Time shrinks demographic differences
In work groups, demographic gaps mattered less over time, and attitude gaps mattered more.
- Surface level demographics: fades with time
- Deep level attitudes and values: grows with time
Perceived similarity
Feeling alike brings a pair closer
Interns who felt similar to their mentor liked them more and met them more.
- Liking higher
- Satisfaction higher
- Contact more often
Giving mixed pairs time
Give mixed pairs time to grow
In 220 doctoral advisor pairs, mixed-gender pairs got less mentoring early, more later.
- Early on less mentoring
- Longer term more mentoring
Interests before demographics
Put shared interests before demographics
Youth studies found few differences between same-race and cross-race matches.
A voice in matching
Ask both sides what they want
Mentors and mentees who felt they had input into the process reported better mentoring.
- Goal for this cycle one sentence
- Skills to build up to three
- Mentor background role, field, experience
- Availability hours a month
- Top picks three mentors, ranked
Similar values, different skills
Pair shared values with new experience
Look for similar values and a mentor whose skills serve the mentee’s goal.
- Similar values, attitudes, work style
- Complementary skills and experience the mentee lacks
Outside the reporting line
Keep mentors outside the reporting line
Rule out pairs where the mentor rates the mentee’s work or pay.
- Not the mentee’s manager
- Not in the same reporting chain
- No say in the mentee’s review or pay
- Either side can ask for a new match
Sources
The research behind this presentation
- MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership (2015) Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring, Fourth Edition MENTOR, Boston
- Eby, L. T., Allen, T. D., Hoffman, B. J., Baranik, L. E., Sauer, J. B., Baldwin, S., Morrison, M. A., Kinkade, K. M., Maher, C. P., Curtis, S. & Evans, S. C. (2013) An interdisciplinary meta-analysis of the potential antecedents, correlates, and consequences of protégé perceptions of mentoring Psychological Bulletin, 139(2), 441-476
- Harrison, D. A., Price, K. H. & Bell, M. P. (1998) Beyond relational demography: Time and the effects of surface- and deep-level diversity on work group cohesion Academy of Management Journal, 41(1), 96-107
- Ensher, E. A. & Murphy, S. E. (1997) Effects of race, gender, perceived similarity, and contact on mentor relationships Journal of Vocational Behavior, 50(3), 460-481
- Turban, D. B., Dougherty, T. W. & Lee, F. K. (2002) Gender, race, and perceived similarity effects in developmental relationships: The moderating role of relationship duration Journal of Vocational Behavior, 61(2), 240-262
- Allen, T. D., Eby, L. T. & Lentz, E. (2006) Mentorship behaviors and mentorship quality associated with formal mentoring programs: Closing the gap between research and practice Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(3), 567-578
Weigh values and goals first
Collect preferences, rule out reporting lines, then check each pair in month one.