Learning with the devil: mentoring and advocates

Wilson, F. (2022) Learning with the devil: mentoring and advocates. Personnel Review, 51(2), pp. 464-479. (doi: 10.1108/PR-08-2020-0649)

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to understand the lived experience of mentoring to provide insight for those who manage and experience mentoring at work. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews with a cohort of 43 mentors and their mentees plus key informants were conducted. It is a longitudinal qualitative study undertaken with a year's cohort of mentors (referred to as “devilmasters”) and mentees (“devils”) in the profession of law, amongst Scottish barristers, advocates. Findings: The meanings of mentoring differed widely between individuals. Mentoring relationships differed in their depth, quality and benefits the mentees received. The research findings reveal the inconsistencies and inequalities that are a fundamental part of the experience of mentoring that, as yet, the research literature has missed. The research also revealed how mentoring alone was not enough and that structured training was required to supplement mentoring. Further, there is a dependency to be found in mentoring. The mentoring process is power laden. Research limitations/implications: Researchers may need to provide a definition of mentoring to those they research. Power needs to be fore-grounded in research. Originality/value: As almost all previous research on mentoring is survey based, this is one of the few studies of the lived experience of mentoring, socialization and cognitive apprenticeship.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Wilson, Professor Fiona
• Authors: Wilson, F.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Journal Name: Personnel Review
• Publisher: Emerald
• ISSN: 0048-3486
• ISSN (Online): 1758-6933
• Published Online: 02 August 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 Emerald Publishing Limited
• First Published: First published in Personnel Review 51(2): 464-479
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy