Mentoring in organizations: Mentor or tormentor?

Abstract

This chapter defines mentoring in organizations and identifies several ethical issues associated with mentoring relationships. Using the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct as a framework, the potential ethical dilemmas faced from the perspective of both the protégé and mentor are illustrated through the use of specific examples of how these dilemmas might occur in the workplace. The chapter also provides a review of the literature on both the positive and negative outcomes associated with mentoring, focusing on those pertaining to quality of work life and health and well-being for protégés and mentors. The chapter concludes with suggestions for several specific avenues for future research.