More specifically, do mentees expect a promotion, and are the mentors involved to meet a required management objective?
Mentees should not expect a promotion because of mentoring. Many mentees hope that their mentor will sponsor them for a promotion or refer them to an upper-level job. Sometimes such sponsorship occurs. It cannot reasonably be expected unless the mentoring relationship is in full maturity (2-5 years duration) and the mentor has enough faith and confidence in the mentee to extend himself or herself in this way. Mentors may be involved in mentoring because it is a part of the company’s strategic development objectives. This should not be seen as a reason to mistrust the person’s commitment. This is yet another opportunity for greater access to the knowledge and expertise of senior-level persons. It really does not matter what the person’s motivations are at the beginning of a partnership. What matters is the commitment and outcome for both parties. These usually grow with increasing involvement in the partnership and the program.
