RING | Human Resources Group (HRG)

RING Mentorship Program

RECIPROCAL | INCLUSIVE | NETWORKING | GROUP

Utilizing a circular mentorship model, RING encourages curiosity, candid feedback and self-awareness. Group members gain the confidence to consider new ideas and prioritize their success. RING is open to all School of Medicine Staff who are looking to gain a deeper understanding of the organization and network with their colleagues.

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Program Overview

What is RING?

RING is a remote-first, group-based mentorship program which is mentor-led and community-driven. The goal of this program is to create an engaging professional development opportunity for SoM Staff. In this program, we are looking for staff who believe they would benefit from meeting regularly with up to four colleagues over the course of four-months.

Did we mention it is free and includes Meeting Guides provided by the Learning & Organizational Development Team?

Expectations

Expectations:

This is a mentor-led and community-driven program. This requires active involvement and will require initiative from both mentors and mentees, as outlined below:

RING's are mentorship circles involving two-four mentees and one mentor. The mentor is expected to lead discussions within their mentee group.
Mentees and mentors will commit to meeting and communicating openly with each other throughout the four-month period. We recommend meeting twice a month and adjusting the cadence as needed.
Mentees may need to perform pre-meeting work as determined by the mentor. We expect that this program will take no more than five hours per month for mentees and mentors, including the two one-hour meetings.
Mentors are expected to review program materials, choose topics based on their RING's interest, and lead discussions on the topics.
All RING participants are expected to be accountable for their actions, providing necessary communication if they cannot make a meeting or need to reschedule.
All RING participants are expected to complete feedback and reflection surveys provided by the Learning & Organziational Development Team.

Roles & Responsibilities

Mentors

Applying as a mentor means, you agree to:

Lead a small group of colleagues for a minimum four months.
Learn about the organization and cross-functional teams.
Commit to hosting RING meetings.
Network and engage with a curiosity mindset.

Mentees

Applying as a mentee means, you agree to:

Network with a small group of colleagues for a minimum of four months.
Learn about the organization and cross-functional teams.
Commit to participating in RING meetings.
Engage with a growth and curiosity mindset.

FAQ's

Who can apply to become a mentor or mentee?

Any Stanford School of Medicine Staff Member

When does the RING Mentorship program take place?

The cohort will run from February - May.

Where will our RING meet?

This program is remote-first. Therefore, the RING can decide to meet online or on campus. All necessary information, such as Meeting Guides, will remain accessible online.

What do you mean when you say, "mentors will be provided support?"

Excellent question, RING is a fully-supported mentorship program. This means that optional programming for each meeting will be provided for you.

How many meetings should we expect? How long are they?

We recommend you meet twice a month or at least six times throughout the program. The Meeting Guides are structured for fifty-five-minute discussions however, you are not required to use the Meeting Guides or strictly follow them.

This program is what you make of it and it is up to the RING how often you meet, when, and for how long.

How does RING differ from SoM Staff Mentorship?

The traditional mentorship program is 1:1 relationship with mentors and mentees. RING is group based, a mentor can be paired with up to 4 mentees (you are able to state your preference in the application.)
The traditional mentorship program has grade level criteria; mentees are at H-J and mentors are J and above. All grade levels are eligible for RING.
The traditional mentorship program duration is 6 months. RING is 4 months in duration.
The traditional mentorship program is mentee-driven. RING is mentor driven and mentors are provided with discussion topics & program guides (see example here).
Traditional mentorship is a program that has been around for about 6 years. RING is a relatively new program, founded in 2022. As a RING program participant, you have the opportunity to shape new professional development opportunities for our staff.

Additional questions? Please contact Morgan Diamond, morganed@stanford.edu.

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