ABSTRACT
This chapter presents some background to the mentoring phenomena and then discusses the key ideas and theories relating to mentoring. Mentoring is a powerful human learning and development relationship, but because it is human it has the power to be both positive and negative. Mentoring still retains some of the principles from the past, but mentoring activity has become formalised as part of an organisations management development policies, succession planning, talent management and retention strategy. A good manager may use mentoring as part of their line role and will recognise the value of an employee having a separate mentor to enhance their overall performance and their contribution to the team. Leadership development linked with a mentoring is a strong combination but it is very important to screen the mentees going into the programme so that they will benefit. Voluntarism mentoring ought to be a voluntary activity but the degree of voluntarism was depending on the situation and the circumstances.
