ABSTRACT
Most young managers view having a mentor as their ticket to the big leagues—to greater visibility, exciting assignments and big promotions. To be clear, mentoring can be invaluable, not only to proteges and mentors, but also to organizations. It is important, however, to manage the relationships appropriately and be aware of early signs of potential problems. Most valuable experiences in mentoring feature trust, rapport and a general affinity between the two parties. Manipulation is most common when the mentor is the protege's direct supervisor or a manager up the ladder in the same department. When proteges try to damage their mentor's career, it's typically motivated by revenge, say, for failing to win a promotion. Everyone should be clear on the fact that mentoring eventually ends, when the protege has learned all that he or she can, or when the mentor no longer provides guidance or satisfaction.
