Want to “give something back” by inspiring and advising those now following in your footsteps? Or maybe you are just starting out in your career in data and need a mentor to help build skills, confidence and a network? Three statisticians who chair successful mentoring programmes offer encouragement for mentors and mentees alike
Statisticians often find themselves as the only statistician, or one of very few statisticians, working in multidisciplinary teams. This makes it challenging for early career statisticians to build networks, learn about career progression options available to them and to develop the skills they need for a successful career. The mentoring programs for the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) and The New Zealand Statistical Association (NZSA) launched in 2020 and 2022, respectively. Now these programmes are firmly established in their societies, their chairs reflect on their experiences and challenges.
What advice would you give to someone interested in being a mentor?
Elizabeth: You have valuable insights. If you are in any discipline, at any career stage, there will be a mentee who will benefit from your experience. As a mentor recruiter, our biggest challenge is convincing potential mentors that their experience is valuable. There are many different things that mentees come to a program to discuss, and sometimes it’s the soft skills that don’t make it onto a resume that can be the most valuable. Simply hearing the story of how you got to where you are can be helpful. What mentality did you have when planning the next steps in your career? Who did you speak to? What would you have done differently? Reflections from mentees in the program have highlighted just how useful it is to have someone to talk to.
“I found it most reassuring to have a mentor who really cared and wanted to help me succeed in my transition to the workforce” Mentee, SSA
Lisa: You have more to offer than you realise! You don’t need to have it all together or be the most proficient statistician you know to be a great mentor. In fact, some of the most useful moments in mentoring come from a place of vulnerability where the mentor shares with their mentee the skills that are still a work in progress for them. From my experience interacting with both mentors and mentees, challenges like imposter syndrome appear to be as common amongst experienced statisticians and mentors as they are amongst early career statisticians and mentees. Mentors don’t need all the answers and, in most cases, will seldom have them. The ability to provide a listening ear, to be a sounding board for ideas, to provide encouragement and a different perspective are key attributes to adding value as a mentor.
“Found it to be extremely rewarding. Very interesting chats with my mentee – and despite the different stages in our careers/lives, there was a lot of overlap in the challenges, opportunities etc. we face” Mentor, NZSA
What advice would you give to someone interested in being a mentee?
Lisa: Put in some preparation and keep your expectations realistic. It’s common for mentees to be excited about an upcoming mentoring relationship, but many mentees fail to put in the effort to make their mentoring relationship a success. A little preparation can go a long way. Prior to the first meeting with a new mentor, it can be beneficial to reflect on key goals, challenges and questions to discuss with your mentor. As little as 10 minutes of preparation prior to a catch-up, reflecting on the topic or any key questions you’d like to discuss, will go a long way.
Mentors don’t need all the answers and, in most cases, will seldom have them
A stumbling block that some mentees encounter is that their expectations of their mentor don’t always match reality. Some mentees will be fortunate and have a mentor they can chat with as easily as chatting to a friend over coffee. Others may find that their conversations don’t flow as freely and may even include multiple awkward silences. Instead of being disappointed if this is a scenario you face as a mentee, try to keep in mind that you can learn just as much, if not more, from a mentor with different personality and perspectives to you. Be open minded, put in some preparation and see what you can learn from your mentor even if the match isn’t perfect or differs from your expectations.
“My mentor was amazing at talking me through situations at work that I wasn’t sure how to navigate, by sharing her experience and thinking with me about possible solutions and building my confidence” Mentee, NZSA
Elizabeth: Having goals to discuss with your mentor is a great start. Discussing and tweaking those goals can also be something to ask of your mentor, and it’s OK to ask generally about your mentor’s career if you tick off discussing your goals.
Also, different mentors offer insights into different aspects of career advice. The more we grow our mentor network, the greater chance we will find a voice that can help us navigate the questions we are struggling with.
Based on your experience, what makes a mentoring programme successful?
Karen/Elizabeth: It is the people that make the programme a success. The programme couldn’t run at all without the mentors’ volunteer time and expertise. On top of this, because of the diversity in mentee goals, a diverse range of mentors is critical to adequately meet the needs of the mentees. We have been fortunate that many mentors have returned to the programme over the years to offer support to new mentees. In addition, mentees have returned as mentors in subsequent years. The enthusiasm from the mentors has been wonderful and we can’t thank them enough for the time they have dedicated.
“The thing I liked is being able to pass on years of experience in just a few hours. I can share the mistakes I’ve made and decisions I made that ended up having benefits years later” Mentor, SSA
In addition, taking the time to plan the programme is invaluable. We have clear timelines each year, template questionnaires to help with matching mentors and mentees, and a guidance document for mentors and mentees. Ours is a mentee-led program and setting clear expectations enables mentees to feel empowered to reach out to their mentors, take initiative and feel ownership of the program. This means the pair can make the most of their time as part of the program.
Lisa: I always value the feedback I get at the end of each cohort – it helps me reflect on the program and the things I could do differently to make the programme more successful. Feedback is also essential within mentoring relationships. Mentors frequently share feedback with their mentees, but it adds significant value when mentees also share feedback with their mentor. This allows the mentor to tailor their advice and the way they communicate it so the mentee can get optimal benefit.
Committed mentors and mentees consistently report more benefits from being involved in the programme than those who meet infrequently or don’t commit time to preparing for their meetings. While the benefits and experiences vary significantly between pairs, those who are committed and invest time into their mentoring relationships report the most benefits.
When mentors and mentees are willing to have open and honest dialogue with each other, there is so much potential for learning and growth for both parties. Make it clear early on that your conversations are confidential and take steps to create a supportive environment which builds mutual trust. This will look different for each pair, but building trust and honesty is as important as the other goals, questions and discussion topics that the mentee is keen to tackle.
Karen Lamb is a biostatistician at the University of Melbourne and is creator and co-chair of the Statistical Society of Australia Mentoring Program
Elizabeth Korevaar is a biostatistician at Monash University and is co-chair of the Statistical Society of Australia Mentoring Program
Lisa Thomasen is a statistician at Fonterra and is creator of the The New Zealand Statistical Association Mentoring Program
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Photo: Makarov Konstantin/Shutterstock
