Our research challenges assumptions about equity in formal mentoring programs. Drawing on mentoring schema and diversified mentoring theory, we theorized that mentors' beliefs about their protégés' advancement potential predict the career support they provide and the quality of their relationship, and that these effects vary by gender. Using matched-pair designs, we tested our model in two field studies of mentors and their protégés (total n = 355 dyads). Supporting theoretical predictions, mentors showed less interest in their protégés' careers, provided less career guidance, experienced less respect, and were less satisfied with their relationship when they believed their protégé had low advancement potential. Protégés also experienced less respect in their relationship when their mentor perceived them as lacking potential. Gender played a nuanced role. While mentors saw female and male protégés as having equivalent advancement potential, female protégés were seen as having less potential and experienced less respect when assigned a male rather than a female mentor. Compared to their female counterparts, male mentors felt more respected in their relationship when they believed their assigned protégé had high potential. Our findings challenge assumptions about the career support and respect provided in mentoring programs, offer insights about the nuanced effects of gender, and call for interventions that help organizations fulfill the promise of mentoring.

中文翻译：

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全力以赴还是几乎不付出？导师对门生晋升潜力和性别的信念在导师关系中的作用


我们的研究挑战了正式指导计划中关于公平性的假设。借鉴指导模式和多元化指导理论，我们从理论上认为，导师对门生晋升潜力的信念可以预测他们提供的职业支持和他们关系的质量，而这些影响因性别而异。使用匹配对设计，我们在导师及其门生的两项实地研究中测试了我们的模型（总共 n = 355 个二元组）。支持理论预测的是，当导师认为他们的门生的晋升潜力较低时，他们对门生的职业生涯表现出较少的兴趣，提供的职业指导较少，受到的尊重较少，并且对他们的关系不太满意。当他们的导师认为他们缺乏潜力时，门生在他们的关系中也受到了较少的尊重。性别起着微妙的作用。虽然导师认为女性和男性门生具有同等的晋升潜力，但女性门生被认为潜力较小，并且在分配男性而不是女性导师时受到的尊重较少。与女性导师相比，当男性导师认为他们指定的门生具有很高的潜力时，他们会在他们的关系中感到更加受尊重。我们的研究结果挑战了关于指导计划中提供的职业支持和尊重的假设，提供了关于性别的细微影响的见解，并呼吁采取干预措施来帮助组织实现指导的承诺。