Building Meaningful Advisor-Advisee Relationships in Higher Education

What comes to your mind when you think about Advising undergraduate students?

For me, the terms that cross my mind include advise, supervise, counsel, guide, and mentor. Then my brain quickly pivots into the distinctions between academic advising, general advising, career coaching, success coaching, behavioral counseling, and more. While these terms have distinct definitions, they also share significant overlap in meaning and application, a nuance well understood by my colleagues in #higher education.

Objective

I recently gave a presentation on advising undergraduate students to my colleagues, which led me to reflect on my thoughts, learnings, and experiences working with young adults over the years. This article aims to consolidate basic tools and frameworks to help any advisor define their advising relationship's context. It intends to refresh some main elements of advising and provide the foundational tools and structure for effective advising.

Before delving deep into any topic, I like to start by examining the simple definition of the "topic" in discussion and the reasons behind it. Essentially, ensuring we address the "WHAT" and "WHY" before exploring the "HOW."

WHAT

The General definition: Advice is defined as the "guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent future action."

We have an ADVISOR who advices and the student who is the ADVISEE who is on the receiving end of this advising.

WHY

In the context of university education, even though students are ultimately in charge of their choices, it is crucial for them to have an advisor who can help them navigate these years. Advisors assist students in making informed decisions, asking the right questions, and discovering their roles in society while defining the kind of life they want to lead. It is a shared responsibility between the advisor and advisee to create a meaningful experience.

Goals of Advising:

1. Focus on the student's learning.
2. Ensure responsibilities are carried out effectively (applicable when advising a student worker or project/club leader).
3. Align the act of advising with the department's or institution's vision/mission.

Visualizing the three goals helps us understand that student learning is the core focus of advising. Clarity in the advising context is the first step, and here are some questions to help gain that clarity:

• Who are you advising?
• In what capacity are you advising them?
• What is the goal of this relationship?
• Why is this important for both parties?
• How do you plan to achieve it?
• How do you plan to measure success ?
• What do you aim to gain from this experience?

HOW

Student Learning - The central focus of advising is to ensure the student learns something valuable from the relationship. Given that students are at a juncture where their personal and professional learnings are intertwined, advisors must address both aspects.

Professional/ Organizational Toolkit:

• Google Suite
• Email writing?
• Professional communication & Relationship building
• Time management using calendars
• Financial management using Google spreadsheets
• Understanding vision, goals, milestones, KPIs
• Importance of assessments and reviews
• Project management, Planning & implementation
• Project Report and Closing

Personal Learning Toolkit:

• Active Listening
• Regular check-ins through weekly meetings
• Semester review and appraisals
• Providing feedback and appreciation
• Tailored approaches for each student
• Challenging students' views
• Facilitate learning in uncomfortable situations
• Taking the opportunity to learn from students

These tools help advisors assist students in discovering their strengths and areas for improvement, enhancing interpersonal and relationship-building skills. Advisors should act as mirrors, showing students the sides of themselves they cannot yet see.

Building the Advisor-Advisee Relationship

Understanding the context of advising and the roles within the relationship is crucial. Building a strong relationship includes holding students accountable and starts with:

• Clarity of roles
• Clear expectations and goal setting from the start
• Gradually building trust and respecting each other
• Genuine interest in getting to know each other
• Investing time and energy to understand deeper motivations

Qualities of a Good Advisor and Advisee

Some qualities of a good Advisors:

• Great advisors value learning - They cultivate the potential for growth in students and are themselves curious and continuous learners. The learning and growth that happens over time is often reciprocal, benefiting both the advisor and the student.
• Great advisors are progress, success, and completion-oriented - They take pride in seeing students reach important intellectual and personal milestones. They believe in every student’s ability to succeed.
• Great advisors value feedback - They seek and utilize feedback to adapt, modify, and improve their practice, driven by an innate desire to understand how they are doing.
• Great advisors are authentic - This quality is characterized by being genuine, human, open, honest, and vulnerable. Authenticity in advising fosters a deeper connection, encouraging students to confide, reflect, and grow.
• Great advisors are creative, innovative, and fun-loving - They think outside the box and use humor to reduce stress and enhance connection.
• Great advisors value teamwork, collaboration, connectedness, networks, and professional partnerships - They leverage these elements to create support systems for themselves and their students.

Some qualities of a good Advisee:

• Right Attitude to Learn - Great advisees approach their educational journey with a positive attitude and an eagerness to absorb knowledge. They understand the importance of growth and are open to the challenges that come with learning.
• Curiosity - They possess a natural curiosity and a desire to explore new concepts and ideas. This drive to understand more deeply helps them engage fully with the advising process.
• Reliability - Great advisees are dependable and take responsibility for their actions. They consistently meet deadlines, attend meetings, and follow through on commitments.
• Desire to Do Good Work - They are motivated to perform well and strive for excellence in their academic and personal pursuits. This commitment to quality work reflects their dedication to their goals.
• Willingness to Learn - They are open to new ideas and experiences, recognizing that learning is a lifelong process. This willingness to embrace new knowledge and perspectives enriches their educational journey.
• Openness to Feedback - Great advisees view feedback as a valuable opportunity for growth. They are receptive to constructive criticism and use it to improve their skills and performance.

What Good Advisors Do to Become Great Advisors:

• Seek and welcome feedback on their performance, especially from students.
• Listen to and understand their students' needs.
• Engage in ongoing professional development activities, both formal and informal.
• Prioritize learning and become experts in their domains.
• Support and inspire their colleagues, extending their own abilities and practice.
• Reflect on their actions and values, adapting as new research emerges.
• Balance professional and personal responsibilities, employing self-care strategies to ensure optimal performance.
• View failure as an opportunity to learn.

What Great Advisors Produce:

• Enhanced engagement, performance, learning, intra- and interpersonal skills.
• Greater connectedness, wellness, and improved ability to retain, transition, persist, and complete degree requirements.
• Clarified purpose through open-ended questioning, reflection, and synthesis.
• Expanded opportunities for discovery and growth through support and challenge.
• Increased agency, confidence, and self-advocacy.
• Identity development opportunities in a "safe" or "brave" space.
• Increased confidence through encouragement and support.
• Positive emotional impact, reducing stress, worry, and anxiety, and promoting a sense of being cared for and affirmed.
• Expanded connections to the institution, peers, faculty, resources, and opportunities.

By ensuring a clear understanding of the advising context and maintaining the student's interests at heart, advisors can help students grow both personally and professionally. This approach contributes to their development and learning, ultimately aligning with the larger departmental and institutional goals.

Happy Advising!