2009 Mentoring Workshop: Developing EPP Practitioners through Learning Relationships
Having a mentor has long been cited as one of the most influential means of leadership development and advancement. Achieving positive mentoring outcomes requires attention to the relationship itself which serves as the container for the learning to happen. This workshop was designed to provide potential mentors in the EPP Section with the knowledge, skills and tools to form positive mentoring relationships with mentee practitioners in the field. More specifically, the workshop provided participants with:
- An understanding of what it means to be a mentor and/or mentee in the field of environmental and public policy mediation;
- Guidelines for optimal matching between mentors and mentees including mutual benefits and challenges for cross-difference matches as well as overcoming perceived obstacles;
- A model for creating mentor-mentee relationship agreements including setting expectations, identifying realistic mutual goals and establishing ground rules and boundaries for the relationship; and,
- Experiential exercises for creating connection and positivity, understanding cultural/stylistic differences to appreciate diverse approaches to leadership and mentoring, and providing bi-directional feedback.
Senior consultants Carolyna Smiley-Marquez and Laurie Hunt
co-lead the session. Their combined significant experience in the fields of environmental and public policy mediation, mentoring and cross-cultural relationships translated into a lively, interactive workshop that offered participants a clear approach and practical skills for developing positive productive mentoring relationships.
The free workshop occurred in foncjunction with the 2009 EPP Section Conference in Denver, was designed for participation from individuals with many levels of experience who are interested in mentoring: senior practitioners with significant experience looking to improve their mentoring skills, impart their experience, or connect with mentees; mid-level practitioners who are both interested in mentoring and being mentored; and individuals who are newer to the field and looking to be mentored. All are welcome. While many examples used in the workshop were from the field of environment and public policy, all participants interested in mentoring were welcome and encouraged to attend.
