Mentoring Relationships

Development of Mentoring Relationships

Mentoring relationships are unique from other relationships in that there is no assumption of equality in the relationship. There are fewer mentors available than there are potential protégés. Mentors have knowledge, skills, and connections that are desired by protégés. This gives mentors more relational power and influences the dynamics of the development, maintenance, and repair of mentoring relationships. [Page 1099]Potential mentors may perceive risk in becoming part of a mentoring relationship with a protégé. Those who perceive greater risk in being close to others will be less likely to mentor than will those who do not perceive risk in being close to another. In professional and academic environments, mentors may perceive risk in sharing their secrets and strategies for being successful with others because the protégé may one day become more proficient than the mentor, or the protégé may share the mentor's closely held secrets with others. Generally, mentors may perceive risk in investing the time in helping another person to become successful. As a person's time is typically at a premium, the time spent helping a protégé may be a cost that a potential mentor is not willing to commit. There is the risk that time will be invested in a protégé but that person will not be successful and the protégé will reflect badly on the mentor. Finally, there is the risk that the protégé will simply take the mentor's knowledge and move on to another mentoring relationship.

For the mentor, the risks of a mentoring relationship are countered by the opportunity to help another person, see one's accomplishments remembered by another, be the source of positive regard by another, have a protégé to assist with projects and activities, and receive social support from the protégé. Mentors may also participate in mentoring relationships to help members of disadvan-taged groups, to help those they care about, or to help their profession, passion, or area of expertise grow with talented new members who have gained from the knowledge shared.

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