PROGRAM PLAN

The “LEAD Me” Program pairs one Mentee with a Primary Mentor who serves as the main contact to assist in identifying leadership and professional development goals and objectives. S/he will also help the Mentee formulate a Leadership and/or Professional Development (L&PD) Plan, a critically important element of the Program. This Plan will include the identification of a Personal Best Leadership Project through which the Mentee will demonstrate use of Kouzes & Posner's 5 practices and 10 commitments of successful leaders. Lastly, the Primary Mentor helps in identifying short term Supplementary Mentors to form a Mentee's Support Team to provide specialized knowledge of skills needed for the implementation of the Mentee's L&PD Plan.

Use of multiple mentors ensures that each Mentee is afforded an opportunity to have his/her needs for specialized knowledge and skills maximally addressed. No single Mentor, then, is expected to address the comprehensive range of expectations or needs of his/her assigned Mentee. Finally, this overall approach to mentoring should result in increased volunteer involvement and participation from NCURA, Region VI & VII members.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

• Create a supportive and interactive e-learning environment where Program participants and the membership can share knowledge to help guide selected Mentees through the leadership development process

• Provide access to e-tools on a range of leadership and professional development topics to contribute to the development of new Region VI & VII leaders

• Increase interest and foster long term careers in sponsored research

• Provide opportunities to form, increase and strengthen professional contacts and relationships among the region's members

• Further strengthen professional networks within the region's research community and beyond

.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

LeadMe Program Chair/Co-chairs (reporting to the Education & Professional Development Committee)

• Provide overall leadership of the program

• Ensure continuity of operations: calls, schedules, recruitment, assignment of roles and responsibilities

• Identify leaders and experts outside the program to lead Professional Development series presentations

• Organize and serve as Chair/Co-Chair of LeadMe Subcommittee; convene as needed to review program objectives and progress, or to resolve operational or programmatic challenges

• Report to Chair of Education and Professional Development (EPDC) Committee on program goals, progress and challenges

​

Mentee

• Active participation in planned activities

• Establish measurable and achievable leadership and/or professional development goals and objectives

• Develop a Leadership Project, in consultation with Mentor

• Interact with Mentor and MINT regularly

• Minimum of two contacts per month

• Be available, responsive and respectful of time commitments

• Complete assignments in a timely manner

• Proactively communicate needs to Mentor

• Remain open to feedback

• Seek opportunities to continually grow professionally and to contribute to NCURA

• Be responsive to webmaster/mistress requests

​

Mentor

• Assist Mentee in setting his/her goals and objectives

• Help the Mentee devise a viable Leadership Project

• Be accessible to Mentee based on a mutually agreed upon schedule

• 2 times per month minimum

• Enthusiastically share information, skills and knowledge

• Provide constructive feedback

• Serve as a thoughtful listener and supportive advisor

• Encourage opportunities for professional growth within the profession and volunteer contributions to NCURA, both regionally and nationally

​

MINT

• Assist Mentors with Mentees in developing established set goals and objectives

• Assist the Mentee with developing their Leadership Project

• Share previous experience in the program

• Serve as a thoughtful listener and supportive advisor

• Encourage opportunities for professional growth and volunteer contributions to NCURA

• Provide operational support to program: Coordinating calls, Webex invitations, etc.

MENTEE PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

• Create a Leadership and/or Professional Development (L&PD) Plan

• Read and study The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes & Posner, 5th Edition

• Develop a “Personal Best Leadership Project” which utilizes the 5 practices and 10 commitments espoused in The Leadership Challenge

• Present a Poster about the preliminary status of the Personal Best Project during the Regional Meeting

• Submit a program synopsis of the completed Project for presentation consideration at an Annual Meeting

• Maintain a personal journal to document and reflect on Program experiences

• Engage in on-line readings and other e-discussions

• Maintain a Mentee-Mentor Contact Log

PROGRAM COHORTS

RESOURCES AND FORMS