Mentoring and Its Implications.

This paper explores the topic of mentoring and its practical implications. Mentoring requirements have changed over time. Today's mentors are influential people who significantly help others reach major life goals. Mentoring has to address broad, dynamic goals in today's society. Benefits for mentors can include enhanced self-esteem, rejuvenated interest in work, assistance on projects, and friendship. National efforts are being made to encourage mentoring as a tool to help education meet its national goals. To achieve this, mentor programs must be well-organized, and mentors must be properly trained and monitored. Individual who serve as mentors differ according to the program. The importance of the mentor-mentee relationship is becoming pronounced in the United States today. Mentor-mentee relationships are formed in three ways: initiation by the mentee, initiation by the mentor, and serendipity. There are many different models that a mentoring program can use. This paper examines different types and forms of mentoring and their implications, focusing on business and industry mentor programs and educational mentor programs (which include programs for administrators, beginning teachers, and peers). Mentor programs have proven to be successful in all organizational facets where there is a desire to help someone achieve their maximum performance level in a given setting. (Contains 19 references.) (SM)