Air Force Mentoring: the Mentor's Perspective
Abstract
Mentoring is defined as a relationship between a senior member and a junior member of an organization in which the senior member is influential in molding and shaping the career of the younger member. Recent articles have focused on conceptualizing the mentoring phenomenon and examining how it effects the individual and the organization. This thesis found that nearly two-thirds (61.1 percent) of those surveyed (112 Air War College designees) reported having been involved in a mentor-protege relationship at some point in their career. While this research found that individuals who had mentors were no more likely to be promoted ahead of their unmentored counterparts, it did conclude that officers assuming the role of mentor were significantly more satisfied with their job than those who had not assumed the mentoring role. Additionally, proteges perceive their mentors as having significant influence on their careers. The most important roles played by the mentor, from the protege's perspective, are those of role model and sponsor. The most important roles played by the mentor are those of advisor and teacher. Still others, who did not have a mentor, perceived the mentoring process in negative terms whereby undeserving officers who are sponsored or protected by a mentor received choice assignments over more deserving candidates. In summary, Air Force and private sector mentoring work in much the same way. Mentoring accelerates the learning of the technical, human, conceptual, and diagnostic skills.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA161441
Entities
People
- Francis Lewandowski
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology