ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the salient emotional qualities and interpersonal skills that make mentors successful. Some of these traits and skills are expressions of fundamental temperament, most can be developed and sharpened by the motivated mentor. The chapter offers the Triangular Model of Mentor Competence as a way of conceptualizing competence in the mentor role. It then considers both the fundamental character virtues and necessary emotional/relational competencies that make for good mentoring. Competent mentors possess an array of emotional and relational abilities. These abilities reflect a mentor's capacity for emotional regulation and interpersonal skill. Important emotional and relational characteristics for mentors include a fundamental orientation to helping others, generative concern for mentees, empathy, positive emotional affect, interpersonal warmth, congruence, humility, capacity for intimacy, personal health, and self-awareness. Each of these characteristics is an expression of a mentor's basic personality structure, each can also be developed and honed. Relational skills are transferable to mentees through the power of modeling.
