President’s message: Learning never stops! (Mar ’19)

I have been extremely blessed to have had good mentors in my life. One thing I have come to realize is that the value of good mentors does not diminish after you get more experience and mentoring does not need to be limited to professional purposes. In addition, I have benefitted from having many great students gain experience in my practice as summer interns or preceptors. It has been an opportunity for me to pay it forward in a small way. In this journal issue, I am going to take some time to discuss the features and benefits of a productive mentor-mentee relationship.

Whether you are looking for a mentor or providing mentoring, it’s important to know what qualities are important. What are the features of good mentors?

• Good mentors willingly share knowledge, skills, and expertise. Quality mentors understand where mentees are in their development and tailor input to meet their needs at the time. They can relate to the mentee through shared experiences.
• They have a personal interest in the mentoring relationship. The responsibility to provide effective training or teaching is not taken lightly. A mentor’s personal interest translates into a commitment to the mentee to help them become more successful.
• Good mentors have positive attitudes and are role models in their area of expertise. Their enthusiasm is contagious and helps the mentee feel like their purpose has meaning. They are respected across different organizations and within their own organization.
• Ongoing learning and growth are important to good mentors. Even after excelling in an area, there are always new things to learn. Openness to experimentation and learning new practices demonstrate to mentees that the time they spend learning will be rewarded.
• Effective mentoring requires guidance and constructive feedback. Helping mentees build on strengths and identify weaknesses is imperative in a successful mentoring relationship.
• Effective mentors demonstrate the ability to set and meet their own personal and professional goals. By setting a good example, they help motivate others.
• Great mentors value the perspectives of others and their initiative. Encouragement helps mentees focus and provides the positive reinforcement for growth and development.

As a mentee, what can you do to maximize the value of a mentoring relationship?

• Be committed to learning and growing. Don’t be a consumer of education and experience. Be an active participant and help create opportunities to learn. Take initiative to meet your goals.
• Respect your mentor. They are giving their time and resources to you, be gracious.
• Have realistic and clear goals for the relationship. I’ve been surprised at times how the benefits of a good mentoring relationship may not be immediate. Great mentoring creates value over time and in situations you may least expect it.
• Be open to feedback. Mentors who are genuinely interested in your success will be honest and frank with you about areas where you can improve. Take their feedback to heart and work on those areas without being too critical of yourself. No one is perfect!
• Don’t be afraid to disagree. I never learned anything from someone who agreed with me. Understanding differences in perspectives is an inherent part of the learning process.
• Ask lots of questions. Well thought out questions demonstrate sincere interest and commitment to improvement. A good question is appreciated and helps a mentor gauge knowledge and tailor experiences and input to the mentee.

This is my last president’s message and I want to thank all of you for the opportunity to serve in this role. It has been an honor and a privilege. An organization is only as good as its members and staff, and we have great people contributing in countless ways. Thank you for all that you do for the American Association of Swine Veterinarians. I am extremely thankful for all your efforts and contributions to our organization. Best of luck to you in the future, I wish you all success!

C. Scanlon Daniels, DVM
AASV President