ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on what makes a mentor, by drawing on the research and practice of coaching psychology, and highlighting how aspects of coaching psychology can inform and help enhance the mentoring process. There has been considerable research indicating that mentoring, done well, can have positive effects on the personal and professional development of protgs. Mentoring is essentially about helping protgs regulate and direct their interpersonal and intrapersonal resources to better attain their learning and developmental goals. Such self-regulation has a long and well-researched history in psychology. Goal-setting is the foundation of successful self-regulation. Goal-setting is a necessary, but not sufficient, part of the mentoring process action plans must be developed and enacted. As Carver and Scheier note, key abilities mediating effective self-monitoring and self-evaluation include self-awareness and self-consciousness. Bridges model focuses on the role of emotional reactions to change, and makes a key distinction between change and transition. At the pre-contemplation stage, the general principle is Raise awareness.
