Mentors And Sponsors In Organizations
Authors: Burke Ronald J. 
Published: March 2010

Introduction

During the past ten years, managers and their employing organizations have become increasingly interested in careers and career development processes in organizations. Some of the reasons are:organizations are experiencing increasing difficulties in developing enough talented managers to replace those about to retire (managerial succession),managers trapped in the wrong job (square pegs in round holes),managers need to continue high levels of contribution through middle-age and up into retirement (combatting obsolescence), andmanagers need assistance in making career stage and life stage transitions as smoothly as possible (from player to coach).

Some of the writing on careers indicates the crucial role one's mentor plays in career development. Hennig and Jardim (1977) reported that almost all of the successful female managers in their incensive interview study had a male mentor who performed significant functions in their careers. Recent articles in (he Harvard Business Review (Roche, 1979; Zaleznik. 1977; and Lunding. Clements and Perkins, 1978) have proposed that mentors are linked with managerial success, and leader development.

Stages of Professional and Managerial Careers

Why should mentoring be found in organizations? Dalton. Thompson and Price (1977) proposed a theory 0 f successive career stages-trainee, colleague, mentor, sponsor-each involving different tasks, types of relationships, and psychological adjustments. The model developed by Dalton and his colleagues is shown in Table L In Stage I, an individual works under the direction of others as trainee learning from one or more mentors. In Stage II, he demonstrates his competence as an individual contributor. In Stage III, he broadens and acts as a mentor for others. Those in Stage IV provide guidance and direction for the organization.

Roche's data (1979) indicated that, among senior executives, nearly two-thirds of his respondents had a mentor. The widespread prevalence of mentoring relationships is consistent with Dalton's model. That is, being a mentor is a stage in one's development that successful careerists enter.

Mentors vs Sponsors

Several writers on mentoring (Roche, 1979; Levinson, 1978) include "sponsoring activities" under a broad umbrella. We prefer, following Dalton and his associates, La consider these terms as distinct career stages. Dalton and his colleagues called Stage III the Mentor stage because of the increased responsibility individuals in this stage begin Lo take for influencing, guiding, directing and developing other people. It is usually Stage III managers who play the critical role in helping others move through Stage I. As an out-growth of this success in Stage II, he is asked to do more work because of his increased capabilities and contacts, which means he needs more assistance (more arms and legs). He begins to find others who can help do the support work in developing his initial ideas. In doing this, he becomes a mentor for the people who help him. This involves a shift in relationships from taking care of oneself (standing oil one's own two feet) La learning how to take care or others and La assume responsibility for their work.