Formal mentoring relationships and attachment theory: Implications for human resource development

Abstract

An attachment theory perspective of mentoring is presented to explain the degree of functionality of a mentor-protégé formal match in an organizational setting. By focusing on Bowlby's (1969/1982) behavioral system of attachment and its triarchic taxonomy of secure, avoidant, and anxious-ambivalent attachment, previous conceptualizations are expanded by illuminating relational concepts that mentors and supervisors could use to facilitate employee learning and development. A short attachment style assessment and a mentor-protégé(e) attachment style pairing guide are presented. © The Author(s) 2011.