Mentorship

Stemming from the Greek word mentor, mentorship made its first appearance in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, which dates to the end of the eighth century BCE. In The Odyssey, Mentor, who was the son of Heracles, raises Odysseus’s son, Telemachus, providing the young boy with guidance and wisdom while Odysseus is away at war. This concept of mentorship, meaning a relationship in which a mentor acts as both a teacher and guide for a protégé, has evolved throughout the centuries and become an important development tool in many twenty-first century professional and educational settings, both formal and informal.

Overview

Mentorship is best described as a relationship or apprenticeship between a mentor or teacher and a protégé or learner, where the mentor devotes time, energy, and knowledge to help the young protégé grow in both their abilities and potential. The modern practice of mentorship is typically broken down into two categories: formal and informal. Formal mentoring is a specific program, usually in an educational or workplace setting, designed to match an experienced professional with a less-experienced newcomer. Informal mentoring, however, depends instead on a natural tendency of two individuals, one with more experience than the other, to work together for the less-experienced individual to absorb the wisdom of the other. Informal mentorship is typically based on the individuals’ similar personalities rather than predefined roles within an organization.

Throughout history, mentorships have been established in many societies and in many religions. For instance, in Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth functioned as a mentor to his disciples; in Buddhism and Hinduism, gurus are the spiritual mentors to their disciples. In the medieval towns of Europe, many youths were formally apprenticed to guilds to learn a craft or a trade from a master, which is how knowledge of many trades was transmitted through many generations. Even in the twenty-first century, mentorship has played a significant role in many professions, including nursing, business, education, and law. Furthermore, many psychologists and human resource organizations have begun promoting mentorship as a key professional development tool for preparing the next generation of leaders. The hope is that mentorship programs will enrich an organization’s working environment, instill a sense of competence and confidence in the general workforce, and improve an organization’s ability to recruit and retain talented employees. Research into mentorship programs since the late 1980s has sought to gain empirical evidence of the impact of mentorship on a protégé’s career progression, including promotions, leadership opportunities, and assignments, as well as its psychosocial impact on friendship, social acceptance, peer approval, and self-identity.

Additionally, the concept of mentorship has played a significant role in the primary and secondary education of historically disenfranchised groups, such as women, minorities, and youths and young adults experiencing poverty. Research suggests mentorship has been especially successful in encouraging members of these groups to continue studying in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Researchers credit mentorship programs in these educational areas with directly contributing to the increase of professional marginalized individuals in these technical fields, both in educational and professional settings. In the social realm, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America organization, a nonprofit founded in 1904, matches at-risk youths with volunteer mentors in an effort to create lasting, meaningful relationships for youths who have few positive role models in their lives. Research has shown that youths in the program are less likely than their peers to skip school, use drugs, or resort to violence.

Bibliography

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Bell, Chip R., and Marshall Goldsmith. Managers as Mentors: Building Partnerships for Learning. 3rd ed. Berrett, 2013.

Chun, Jae Uk, et al. “A Longitudinal Study of Mentor and Protégé Outcomes in Formal Mentoring Relationships.” Journal of Organizational Behavior, vol. 33, no. 8, 2012, pp. 1071–94.

Eby, Lillian T., et al. “Does Mentoring Matter? A Multidisciplinary Meta-Analysis Comparing Mentored and Non-Mentored Individuals.” Journal of Vocational Behavior, vol. 72, no. 2, 2008, pp. 254–67.

Hall, H. R. Mentoring Young Men of Color: Meeting the Needs of African- American and Latino Students. Rowman, 2006.

Klasen, Nadine, and David Clutterbuck. Implementing Mentoring Schemes. Routledge, 2012.

Straus, Sharon E., et al. “Characteristics of Successful and Failed Mentoring Relationships: A Qualitative Study across Two Academic Health Centers.” Academic Medicine, vol. 88, no. 1, 2013, pp. 82–89.

Wanberg C. R., et al. “Mentoring Research: A Review and Dynamic Process Model.” Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, vol. 41, no. 21, 2003, pp. 39–124.

Zachary, Lois J, and Lisa Z. Fain. The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships. 3rd ed. Jossey, 2022.