The importance of mentorship has become increasingly evident as medical practice leaders navigate the future of healthcare. In this MGMA Insights Podcast episode, host Daniel Williams sits down with Dr. Ruth Gotian, a leading expert and author in mentorship and the Chief Learning Officer at Weill Cornell Medicine, to explore the impact of mentorship and how organizations can cultivate thriving mentorship programs.
Redefining the Mentor-Mentee Dynamic
Dr. Gotian's journey into mentorship began with her own experiences in the business world. Despite a successful stint in investment banking, she realized that excelling at a job did not necessarily equate to it being a true calling. "I was really good at it, but I didn't like it. And that's when I realized that you could excel at something and not enjoy it, and I was not going to spend the next 40 years that way," she recalls.
This realization led Dr. Gotian to explore her passion for working with students, which ultimately guided her to pursuing education in an MD-PhD program. It was here that she discovered the power of mentorship and the need to shift the traditional approach.
"My whole generation’s [idea] of a mentor has to be someone very senior, right? Older, gray, grayer, wiser, but that is not the contemporary approach anymore, and that will actually give you a lot of blinders if you only have one mentor who is more senior to you," Dr. Gotian explains. Instead, she advocates for a more diverse team of mentors, including peers and even those junior to the mentee.
The Reciprocal Nature of Mentorship
At the heart of Dr. Gotian's research is the understanding that the most successful mentoring relationships are built on a reciprocal exchange of knowledge and perspectives. "In the best and strongest mentoring relationships, both the mentor and mentee are learning from each other, and that's when it's reciprocal, and that's when it's so powerful," she says.
This reciprocal nature of mentorship is crucial, as it fosters a deeper connection and a shared investment in each other's growth and development. As Dr. Gotian emphasizes, "You don't have to take the exact advice. I don't have to do everything you do. Mentors should not be creating ‘mini me's’. They should be helping you be the best version of yourself."
Overcoming the Mentorship Disconnect
Despite the well-documented benefits of mentorship, Dr. Gotian highlights a concerning disconnect between understanding its value and actually having a mentor. "76% of people understand the benefits of having a mentor, yet only 37% of people actually have a mentor. So where is that disconnect?" she asks.
Part of the challenge lies in the traditional approach to mentorship, where individuals are expected to directly ask someone to be their mentor. Dr. Gotian advises against this, suggesting a more organic and contextual approach. "Approach potential mentors with a specific, contextual request for their expertise and time," she says.
Building a Thriving Mentorship Culture
For organizations looking to foster a thriving mentorship culture, Dr. Gotian promotes the idea of providing the necessary infrastructure and support. This includes clear ownership of the mentorship program, training for both mentors and mentees, and opportunities for organic connections to form.
"If no one's in charge, then it's not really happening, and people need to have the time to be able to mentor. It needs to be rewarded," Dr. Gotian explains. She also highlights the need to measure the success of mentorship programs beyond just traditional metrics, such as promotions and revenue.
"We need to define what would success look like. And I don't call them soft skills, I call them power skills, because it could really give you a lot of power if you know how to do it well," she says. These "power skills" can include increased motivation, greater curiosity, and improved productivity – all of which can have a significant impact on an organization's bottom line.
Embracing Emerging Technologies
Dr. Gotian highlights the role of emerging technologies in supporting and enhancing mentorship programs. While she believes that the human connection is irreplaceable, she sees opportunities for AI and other tools to streamline the administrative tasks associated with mentorship.
"AI can help with the back end, administrative load, initial matching, scheduling, note taking, Action Plan, follow ups – those can all be done with AI, but having the conversation at the end of the day needs to be done to humans," Dr. Gotian explains.
By leveraging technology to handle the logistical aspects of mentorship, organizations can free up time and resources for the more meaningful, human-centric aspects of the mentoring relationship.
Resources:
- Purchase Dr. Ruth Gotian's latest books, The Success Factor and Mentoring: A Complete Guide to Effective Mentoring from the Financial Times Guides series.
- Visit Ruth Gotian's website or connect with Ruth Gotian on LinkedIn
- Visit Weill Cornell Medicine online
Explore Related Content
