The terms ‘mentor’ and ‘mentoring’ have been defined many different ways by a variety of sources. In fact, it is this circumstance that originally inspired UIF research into both the origination and the meaning of these terms.
The concept of the mentor, if not the word itself, appears in many religions and national cultures. In Judaism, the word ‘rabbi’ means teacher which may imply a mentor. Within Christianity, Jesus is often portrayed as a mentor to his disciples and others. Various forms of the mentor-protégé relationship appear within Buddhism, Confucianism, Islam, as well as many aboriginal traditions. Most spiritual or religious contexts describe mentoring as applicable to the common masses. Whereas the ancient Greek concept of mentoring is exclusively reserved for future leaders from the privileged classes. In most cultures, secular forms of mentoring share the objective of establishing employment for or promoting the career of particular protégés. Only recently in the West, has this objective been seen as the development of an individual principally for the protégés own benefit. For example, throughout much of the 19th Century, the production of goods was largely controlled by trained craftsmen who spent years in apprenticeship learning their expertise from senior master craftsmen. Once competent of the specialized learning, the protégé became a skilled craftsman, and in turn, passed on the expertise to the next generation of apprentices. Alternatively, in Japan, the purpose of mentoring-like relationships is quite different. Historically, the Japanese focus on mentoring has been on developing the individual solely for the benefit of the collective. It is important to note that in each culture or circumstance, the mentoring phenomenon is concentrated during a period of life transition for the protégé. This holds true even when the intended aim of the mentoring relationship is not necessarily that of the benefit received by the protégé.
Traditional mentoring in contemporary society is defined as a one-to-one relationship between two individuals: one experienced and referred to as the mentor and the other less experienced and referred to as the protégé. Operationally, this model characterizes the one mentor as the exclusive source of available aid to a solitary protégé. Proponents of this model cite The Odyssey by Homer and Telemaque by Fenelon to illustrate the origination of the term ‘mentor’, describing what mentoring is and how it works. From both works, a two-person relationship between the character, Mentor (representing the wise protector), and Odysseus’ son, Telemachus (personifying the protégé), is cited to describe mentoring. Mentor is frequently portrayed as the focal point in the relationship from which mentoring help flows to Telemachus. At the opening of Homer’s epic poem, the mighty soldier, Odysseus, had sailed away years earlier to fight the Trojan War. During his absence, Odysseus left his infant son, Telemachus, in the care of his trusted friend, Mentor. Upon becoming a young man, Telemachus set sail to resolve his father’s whereabouts. Throughout his passionate quest, Telemachus both sought and accepted mentoring-type assistance. A more complete character examination of both The Odyssey and Telemaque, reveals that the family friend, Mentor, has been embodied by the Greek goddess, Athena. As one of her unannounced incarnations, the goddess of wisdom manifests herself by assuming the human disguise as Mentor. Throughout Telemachus’ journey, Athena takes on a variety of other disguises to provide various mentoring aspects to aid Telemachus in his search. While seeking his father, and with Athena’s mentoring agency, Telemachus indeed finds this father and discovers his own manhood.
Perhaps the single characteristic of mentoring to which most everyone can agree is – within any mentoring relationship, mentoring support flows to the protégé. However, differing interpretations of why and how the mentoring aid flows to the protégé lead to misunderstanding, mischaracterization and misapplication of mentoring. By examining the phenomenon of mentoring, we expose the answers to questions surrounding mentoring relationships and of the individual mentors and protégés as participants in those relationships.