Should I Be a Mentee or Mentor?

You cannot apply for both so here is information on each to help you decide:

Mentees

This is a mentee-driven program. Mentees are emerging leaders. They have a strong sense of their development needs and can identify one or more areas in which they need mentoring support. Mentees must have the time to prepare for their group’s meetings, fully participate and help plan these sessions, and then “do the work” — that is, be willing to stretch, take risks and use resources to tackle their mentoring goal. Mentees set goals at the beginning of the program; mentors (as well as other members of the mentoring group) help mentees make progress toward achieving their goals. Mentees pay a mentee program fee; this is separate and distinct from HBA annual membership dues.

Time Commitment: In order for you to fully benefit from the program you should expect to invest your time as follows:

• Meeting with your group/mentor at least once per month for two to four hours during the months of ~March through October/November.
• Additional personal time (two to four  hours per month) spent on activities such as setting your goals, taking action, reviewing results/materials, planning meetings and self-reflection. This is a mentee-driven program, where you are responsible for your learning. The more you are able to put into the program, the more you will get out of it.
• Participation in mentee orientation, kickoff, mid-year event and closing celebration.

Mentors

Mentors are seasoned executives or leaders with significant experience in the healthcare industry or related services. They have a keen sense of their own strengths coupled with the ability and commitment needed to guide their mentees. Mentors are willing to share of themselves — relaying stories and anecdotes from their careers, recounting successes and failures, offering ideas and approaches and identifying tools and connections. Most mentors have experience in a director-level or higher position and/or have developed both individuals and teams. There is no fee for mentors, who volunteer their time and expertise to their mentees and the program.

Time Commitment: In order for you and your mentee or mentee group to fully benefit from the program you should expect to invest your time as follows:

• Meeting with your group/mentee at least once per month for two to four hours during the months of ~March through October/November.
• Additional personal time (one to three hours per month) to confer with your co-mentor (US) or other mentors (EU/Canada), and possibly assist individual mentees, if requested. You will have a committee liaison (a "Connector") whom you can call on to help identify resource material and deal with any issues that may arise.
• Participation in a mentor training session 
• Review of provided mentor information materials.
• Participation in the program kickoff, mid-year event and closing celebration.