Formal Mentoring Programs in Organizations

When junior managers are assigned to more experienced senior managers for the purposes of learning and development, many organizations report such favorable results as reduced turnover, increased organizational commitment, and improved succession planning. Add to that a relatively low cost and it becomes clear why formal mentoring programs have become a popular means of management development. Despite their widespread use, however, it has been difficult for practitioners to find information on the track record of such programs and how to build them. This publication summarizes eighty books and articles selected from the practical and academic literature. The experiences of individuals and organizations with formal mentoring programs are described, with additional information about benefits and drawbacks, organizational objectives, and methods for building effective programs.