Tools & Tips on Wisdom Share for Mentoring

By Mentoring Committee Leadership

The Mentoring Committee held a Tools & Tips (TNT) information session in July on how to utilize the Wisdom Share platform to enrich your mentoring experience. In case you missed it, you can find the recording in the LMS library or the slides here. Our main goal was to answer some of the most commonly asked questions from the NORDP community about the Wisdom Share, web-based software introduced in 2021 to modernize and expedite the Mentor-Mentee matching process in order to accommodate growth of the NORDP mentoring program.

A graphic that shows a brief history of the NORDP Mentoring Committee’s Matching Program. The years 2012-2014 are shown to the left as having been performed with manual mathes. An arrow starting at the bottom of the graphic and swooping upward to the right shows the years 2016 through 2023 with the number of mentoring matches made growing year over year.

Brief history of the NORDP Mentoring Committee’s Matching Program.

Aided by the Wisdom Share algorithm, the Mentoring Committee has been able to significantly increase the number and complexity of the services we provide since its inception in 2011. A NORDP member now has access to three different types of mentoring programs:

  • 1:1 Mentor-Mentee dyads. The match program runs from July to June annually.
  • 1: 3 Mentor-Mentee cohorts. The match program runs from July, 2023 to June, 2024.
  • Eight different Peer Mentoring Groups (PMGs) led by Conveners where the discussions are member-driven. The NORDP members can elect to sign up for multiple PMGs within the Wisdom Share platform. Each PMG Convener will regularly send out meeting information.

We are currently preparing to launch our annual PMG Kickoff on Tuesday, October 10, at 1pm ET / noon CT / 11pm MT / 10am PT — mark your calendar! The registration information will be available soon through the Member Clicks email. At the PMG Kickoff, you will have an opportunity to meet this year’s PMG Conveners, get contact information, and ask questions. We want to thank all the PMG conveners for keeping us organized going forward — we look forward to seeing everyone!

  • Career & Professional Development
  • Coaching and RD
  • Communication (currently inactive)
  • Collaboration & Team Science
  • Leadership & Management
  • Mentorship (currently inactive)
  • Proposal Development
  • Strategic Planning & Advancement

Tools ‘n Tips: Making Presentations that Stick

Presented by Melanie Bauer

Many of our workshops to faculty contain some pretty dry information. How do you keep them engaged for the entire presentation? You need to give out “nuggets of wisdom” (takeaways that apply to them). These “a-ha” moments better stick when they directly benefit them.

Examples of workshop topics and how to turn them into a “nugget of wisdom”
  1. Timeline
    • From – Create a detailed timeline for your proposal writing journey
    • To – Planning to write takes longer than you think
  2. Sections
    • From – Learn about the sections of a grant proposal and how to tell a compelling story
    • To – Be a storyteller and entrepreneur
  3. Pitfalls
    • From – Understand common pitfalls for first-time and experienced grant writers
    • To – Find your fits and reach out & All the pieces matter
  4. Tips
    • From – Find out tips for making your proposal stand out
    • To – Get graphic & Grant writing is like applying for a job
Additional “takeaway” examples
  • Follow the money
  • Don’t be a square
  • Know how funders walk and talk
  • Funder priorities are the sprinkles
  • Win friends and influence reviewers
  • Third time’s a charm
  • Level up or move along
Resources:
  • How to design & teach workshops that work every time by Robert Fitzpatrick & Devin Hunt (www.workshopsurvival.com)
  • Prezi (there is a free version) – www.prezi.com
  • This TNT presentation was recorded and can be viewed HERE.
Past TNT recordings can be found on the NORDP Learning Management System (LMS).
  • Past TNT recordings can be found on the NORDP website.
  • Log into your NORDP account (www.nordp.org)
  • Look for the “Quick Links” menu (blue)
  • Select “NORDP LMS”
  • Make sure you are seeing “All Courses” – scroll down to the bottom and select “SHOW ALL COURSES”
  • Search for “TnT”
  • Select the “TnT (Tools and Tips) Talks”
The next TNT presentation will be Tuesday, December 6th at 12:00pm (eastern).
  • TNT: Writing for a Lay Audience – Presented by Susan Elkins
  • Register HERE.

Do you have a great Tool or Tip you would be willing to share? If so, please contact Dawn McArthur or Emily Devereux. We would love to hear any requests and we’ll see if we can’t find a presenter!