Do you have to be face-to-face to have a good mentoring relationship?  One might think so.  But the fact is, it's not always possible.  These days we are characterized by multiple locations, sometimes widely dispersed.  Consequently, the right mentor for a person could be miles away.  If mentoring is to continue as a viable resource for Extension we can use both technology and face-to-face visits.  Area Extension Education Directors and the Mentoring committee have moved to matching mentoring pairs across locations and program areas.  That being said, with a little preparation and guidance, a long-distance mentoring relationship can work, and work well.

As a mentor you begin any mentoring relationship, understand that the planning and preparation you put into the effort is crucial to its success.  Setting up a strong distance relationship begins at your first meeting.  Ideally, this "link-up meeting" should be held face-to-face.  Meeting in person helps you get to know each other more quickly and accelerates trust building that will serve you well as you work in separate locations.  IF meeting in person is not possible, your first meeting can be conducted by telephone, email, instant messaging or by web camera following some guidelines.  During this link-up meeting, the mentee should discuss his or her learning goals and areas for development, and both partners should talk about their expectations for the relationship with each other.  One of our current distant relationships started with the mentor introducing himself and telling about his family and a little bit about his professional career via email.  That started the mentor/mentee assignment link-up.

By Lois Hunt, Area Extension Education Director