On Being a Mentor: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty

by W. Brad Johnson

On Being a Mentor is the definitive guide for faculty in higher education who wish to mentor both students and junior faculty. It features strategies, guidelines, best practices, and recommendations for professors who wish to excel in this area. Written in a pithy style, this no-nonsense guide offers straightforward advice about managing problem mentorships and measuring mentorship outcomes. Practical cases studies, vignettes, and step-by-step guidelines illuminate the process of mentoring throughout. Other outstanding features On Being a Mentor is intended for professors, department chairs, and deans in a variety of educational settings, including colleges, universities, and medical and law schools and is suitable for professors in all fields of study including the sciences, humanities, psychology, education, and management.

Genres: Education

260 pages, Paperback

First published August 7, 2006

About the author

W. Brad Johnson is Professor of psychology in the Department of Leadership, Ethics and Law at the United States Naval Academy, and a Faculty Associate in the Graduate School of Education at Johns Hopkins University. A clinical psychologist and former commissioned officer in the Navy’s Medical Service Corps, Dr. Johnson served at Bethesda Naval Hospital and the Medical Clinic at Pearl Harbor where he was the division head for psychology. He is a recipient of the Johns Hopkins University Teaching Excellence Award, and has received distinguished mentor awards from the National Institutes of Health and the American Psychological Association. Dr. Johnson is the author of numerous publications including 14 books, in the areas of gender in the workplace, mentoring, cross-gender allyship, professional ethics, and counseling. His most recent books include: Good Guys: How Men Can Become Better Allies for Women in the Workplace (Harvard Business Review, 2020, with David Smith), Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women (Harvard Business Review, 2016, with David Smith), The Elements of Mentoring (3rd edition, St. Martin;s Press, with Charles Ridley), and On Being a Mentor (2nd edition, Routledge Press).
wbradjohnson.com
workplaceallies.com

Reviews

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. Practical suggestions, metrics, and definitions, all backed by (and citing) research. Addresses separately mentoring undergrads, grads, and junior faculty (post-docs are once again left out in the cold). Looks at institutional, departmental, and personal barriers to quality mentoring.
Highly recommended for anyone in academe.