What is a mentor?

A mentor is someone more skilled or experienced who offers advice, support, and guidance to facilitate the learning and development of a more junior or less experienced person. Mentoring relationships occur in all aspects of life but are often a key feature of the organisational life where more senior staff take on the role of being a role model, trusted adviser, coach, and teacher to their junior colleagues. In the work environment, mentors can play an important role in the career advancement of more junior staff by offering on-the-job support, career advice and access to networks and organisational knowledge (both formal and informal). Many successful people have had mentors help them along the way.