Overview
Partner With a Mentor
Priceless. No matter where you are in your career, mentoring others—and being mentored—should be part of your professional growth.
RBMA Leadership Mentor Program Overview
The RBMA has created the Leadership Mentor Program. It is designed for healthcare professionals seeking growth as leaders and seasoned executives wanting an opportunity to give back to their field. The main premise of the program is to help emerging mentees specifically develop their career paths more effectively. Mentoring is a strategic tool and has been shown to effectively increase employee retention, increase employee productivity and engagement, support diversity and inclusion metrics, increase skills for both the mentor and the mentee, and so much more. Each formal mentor-mentee partnership will last for one year, but the initial trial will be 6 months. Mentors and mentees are matched based on several criteria including career level, business function, leadership skills and competencies, career development goals, and desired areas of focus. If you are a member looking for employment opportunities, please visit the RBMA Job Center page .
Mentors: The RBMA mentorship program provides the classic one-on-one mentoring experience while primarily meeting over the phone, video chat, email, or through a virtual meeting platform. Many healthcare leaders become mentors to:
- Give back to the field.
- Further an emerging leader’s career development.
- Gain exposure to a fresh perspective.
- Learn about themselves.
Mentors should have at least 8 years of experience at the director level or higher.
Mentees: No matter your career stage, anyone can become a mentee. As a mentee, you can drive the effectiveness of your partnership by defining clear goals and expectations and meeting regularly with your mentor throughout the specified length of time. Many healthcare leaders seek mentors to:
- Build professional self-confidence.
- Sharpen critical thinking skills.
- Increase professional visibility and executive presence.
- Clarify long-term career goals.
To participate in the RBMA Mentor Leadership Program, you must be a current member of RBMA.
What Makes a Good Mentorship Relationship?
Generally, a good mentor is motivated and energized, cares about developing others, and is willing to commit their time. At the same time, if you are a mentee, make sure to dedicate the time and energy necessary to be mentored properly. It’s most effective when there is a good match between the mentor and mentee—whether that be in backgrounds, skill sets, experiences, roles, or facing similar challenges. Both need to come to the relationship motivated and empowered to plan and be open and honest with each other as well as following through on their commitments,
Both need to be prepared for each mentoring session, have an agenda, yet remain flexible if the conversation takes you in a slightly different direction. Both will also create goals and milestones and remain focused on achieving what has been agreed upon during the mentoring sessions. Most importantly, clearly articulate your expectations of your mentor/mentee so that there can be a conversation and agreement upon those expectations early in the relationship.
7 Habits of Highly Successful Mentors and Mentees
- Active listening
- Dedication to their success
- Dedicated to others’ success
- Curiosity
- Engaged with their surroundings
- Willing to step out of their comfort zones
- The 3 R’s: Responsible, Respectful & Ready
In summary, the benefits of mentorship are sincere, open and supportive in almost any professional growth and expansion situation.