"For years, individuals assumed that the process of mentoring was somewhat mysterious. These relationships just happened, and “chemistry” had to be present. It was impossible (even somewhat sacrilegious) to analyze and describe the specifics of what was going on in these arrangements. Analyzing and putting names to behaviors would theoretically kill them.
Some people were able to find mentoring relationships, while many individuals were unaware of how to get started with mentoring and missed out on one of the most powerful development strategies ever devised.
Linda Phillips-Jones (1977) studied hundreds of mentor-mentee partnerships as well as individuals unable to identify any mentors in their lives. The conclusion: mentoring was much more examinable and yet more complex than first thought.
On the “demystifying” side, Phillips-Jones discovered that effective mentors and mentees use specific processes and skills throughout their relationships. Further, the skills and processes can be learned, and relationships can be better––more enjoyable, productive, and even time-efficient––as a result."