The Mentor’s Guide, 2nd Edition

Chapter 2 Defining mentoring

DOI: 10.4324/9781003163862-2

Minerva came close up to him in the likeness and with the voice of Mentor. “Telemachus,” said she, “if you are made of the same stuff as your father you will be neither fool nor coward henceforward, for Ulysses never broke his word nor left his work half done.” (The Odyssey, Homer, 1999)

Introduction

Defining mentoring is fundamental to the success of your mentoring program. After reading this chapter you will be able to define terms like “mentor,” “mentoring,” and “mentorship” and have a vocabulary about what mentoring is and is not. In this chapter you will learn about the origin of mentoring. Modern definitions of mentoring are presented, including a recognition of mentoring episodes ...