Build your community: Academics need mentors and allies too
Photo by Neil Thomas on Unsplash
Academia can feel competitive and isolating. Many early-career researchers struggle with imposter syndrome and burnout. But here’s the secret: nobody in academia succeeds without support from their community. A strong community of mentors and allies can provide you with practical advice, pointing you toward the next steps to achieving your strategic vision, whether that advice is related to manuscript writing, grant collaborations, teaching, or service to the field. Your community can also alert you to opportunities, such as funding announcements, collaborations, or even a job posting, that you may not have been aware of. And, perhaps even more important for your career, your community of mentors and allies can open doors for you, provide a warm handshake to other members of their networks, and advocate on your behalf in rooms where you do not yet have a seat at the table.
When building your community, it is important to have a clear understanding of what your strategic vision is, maintaining focus on what you need in order to achieve that strategic vision. Do you need help in goal-setting? Or maybe you’ve identified your goals, but you are struggling to get there while also maintaining a happy and well-rounded family life? Clarifying your needs will help you identify who in your circles may be best suited to support you. Also, look around and see who you admire, and ask yourself why you admire them and how that ties in to your strategic vision. Perhaps one of your strategic goals revolves around levelling up your teaching skills, and there is a person in your department who you admire for their warm and engaging communication style. We tend to admire people because of the qualities they possess. You can learn from the people you admire by examining how they demonstrate those qualities. What actions are they taking? What are they willing to share with you?
There are three things that are important to remember in building your community:
1. You will likely need different mentors and allies for different purposes. Much like we may have a specific friend we go to for discussions on pop culture, but another friend we enlist to try a new restaurant, no single mentor can be all things for us.
2. Keep an open mind when building your community. In addition to mentorship programs within your department, institution, or professional societies, you may find excellent mentors and allies outside of academia, including on online platforms, such as LinkedIn. For instance, leaders in industry could provide you with mentorship on effective management of teams, including how to create a culture of collaboration, or how to navigate difficult conversations. Conversations with mentors and allies outside of academia may also provide you with opportunities to brainstorm new ideas for research or knowledge mobilization.
3. Your community can and should be comprised of people from all career stages, not just people who are senior to you. Emotional support, a good idea, a solid plan, or a fantastic opportunity could come from anyone.
Cultivate respectful and meaningful relationships with your mentors and allies. If you’re reaching out to someone for the first time, be clear on the advice or support you are seeking, and why you think they would be the right person to provide it. Also, be clear on the time commitment you are requesting, such as a 30-minute Zoom coffee chat. If they decline to have a conversation, do not be offended, as we never know what may be happening in someone else’s life. Simply say that you appreciate their consideration, and ask whether they can recommend someone else who may be a good fit to talk to. On the other hand, if they do agree to a conversation, make sure to do the organizational work—send calendar invites, and an email reminder the day before. Be prepared with some questions to start, but let the conversation flow naturally, and don’t be afraid to share your thoughts, insights, and experiences as well. Also, don’t forget to follow up from time to time, even if you don’t need any advice or support. Your community wants to hear from you!
Academia is challenging, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Building a community of mentors and allies takes time, but it’s one of the most valuable investments you can make in your career. Take a small step today—reach out to a potential mentor, join a networking group, or offer support to a peer. If you need help getting started, let’s connect!
Next week: Time Management in Academia: How to balance a seemingly unmanageable load
