ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the limited adult attachment relationships, which is relevant to mentoring at work. It addresses the issue of why some protgs may be more predisposed to the development of mentoring relationships than others. To explain this variability, internal models have been utilized of attachment relationships that develop in childhood and affect the adult throughout life. The chapter suggests that with the help of formalized, effective training it is indeed possible to turn potential dysfunctional and marginal relationships into functional ones and attain the desired work outcomes. Incorporating attachment theory broadens the theoretical base of mentoring to consider the long-term developmental processes that may influence the attitudes and behaviour at work. Also, this framework expands the emerging literature on the attachment theory to incorporate the work relationships. Introducing the attachment theory may help to refocus the literature on the developmental nature of mentoring.
