Research Issues in Mentoring for Leadership Development in Organisations

Mentoring is a practice through which one person (the mentor) facilitates the development of another (the mentee) by sharing known resources, expertise, values, skills, perspectives, attitudes, and proficiencies. It provides a mechanism in organisations by which experienced managers can pass on their wisdom, helping to shape their mentee’s values and beliefs in a positive way. It is thus an all-inclusive relationship and process, and includes everything done to support mentee's orientation and professional development, in contrast to other developmental approaches such as coaching and counseling, where the emphasis is on getting the person to come up with their own solutions. It is an ideal vehicle for leadership development, addressing the individual’s needs and opening up opportunities for organizational growth. The paper highlights several important research issues arising from both theoretical and practical considerations in mentoring programs, and attempts to integrate them into a model for mentoring effectiveness.