Mentoring the minority nurse leader of tomorrow

Diversity is crucial to the future of nursing. And fortunately, a shift in the composition of the nursing workforce so that it more accurately mirrors the composition of America's patient population is already taking place. However, this emerging multiculturalism brings an important issue to the forefront-the leadership tier in healthcare organizations must also reflect the ethnic and cultural changes taking place. Movement in this direction makes prominent the importance of the mentor role in the life of the minority nurse seeking a leadership career path. Acknowledging the present demographics of the profession, it is most unlikely that the mentor and mentee will be a cultural or ethnic match. The good news is that this should not be viewed as an automatic barrier. This article describes the 5 Cs of mentoring a minority nurse professional, that is, candor, compromise, confidence, complexity, and champion-the specific competencies that promote a mentor-mentee relationship focused on career success.