In the early 1980s, research was focused
on those experiences and events that were important in the development of
managers. The Centre for career development, a
global provider of executive education that
develops better leaders through its exclusive
focus on leadership education and research, undertook research that addressed
this question. The Center found that various management challenges had
developmental value but that individuals had to learn
lessons from these experiences and
events (McCall, Lombardo & Morrison, 1988). The
research identified five broad categories of
experience as having developmental value:
challenging jobs, hardships, course work, off the
job experiences and other people, particularly bosses.
One relationship that involves learning from other people is the mentor
relationship. The word "mentor" appeared in
Greek mythology in Homer's The Odyssey.
Mentor was a teacher given the task of taking care of Odysseus' son when Odysseus was off
to war. Mentor provided wise advice to the son to prepare him to become king.
As used today, mentoring is seen as an intense personal relationship between
an older, more experienced person (mentor) and a less experienced junior person
(protégé) in which the mentor provides functions
that develop the protégé. According to
Bolton (1980) "mentoring occurs when
an experienced person provides guidance and support in a variety of ways to the
developing novice…. In addition to being a role
model, acts as a guide, tutor, or coach and a confidante."
Levinson (1978) offers a
richer depiction defining mentoring as follows. |
