This paper proposes that different gender cultures can create dilemmas for women in the workplace. Mentoring can be one means of coping with this. But there are various and sometimes very different approaches to mentoring available. An examination of basic definitions and alternative models of mentoring leads to a discussion of the grounds upon which choices between alternative mentoring scenarios might be made. These choices are described as dilemmas because of the difficulties they present for women. The author draws upon her own biography to illustrate what can be entailed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Arnold, V.
and Davidson, M. (1990) `Adopt a Mentor—The New Way Ahead for Women Managers?'Women in Management Review5(1): 10-18.
2.
Brown, L.
(1984) The Woman Manager in the USA. Washington: Business & Professional Women's Federation.
3.
Burke, R.
(1984) `Mentors in Organisations', Group & Organisation Studies9: 353-372.
4.
Calas, M.
and Smircich, L. (1990) `Rewriting Gender into Organisational Theorising: Directions from Feminist Perspectives', in M.I. Reed and M. Hughes (eds) Rethinking Organisation: New Directions in Organisational Research and Analysis. London: Sage.
5.
Campbell, J.
(1977) Annual Book of Group Facilitation. London: University Associates.
6.
Clutterbuck, D.
(1991) Everyone Needs A Mentor. London: IPD.
7.
Colwill, N.
(1984) `Mentors and Proteges', in Women & Men in Business Quarterly42(2): 19-21.
8.
Cox, A.
(1982) The Cox Report on the American Corporation. New York: Delacorte.
9.
Drake, R.
(1985) `Of Course we have Women Managers in our Business, But...',MEAD16(2).
10.
Fitt, L.
and Newman, D. (1981) `When the Mentor is a Man and the Protege is a Woman', HBR59: 56-60.
11.
Guardian (1995) `The End of a Dream', Wednesday 15 February, p. 21.
12.
Hennig, M.
and Jardim, A. (1979) The Managerial Woman. London: Pan Books.
13.
Hetherington, C.
and Barcelo, R. (1985) `Womantoring: A Cross Cultural Perspective', Journal of NAWDAC (Fall): 12-15.
14.
Hofstede, G.
(1991) Cultures and Organisations. London: HarperCollins.
15.
Honoria
(1793) The Female Mentor (in the British Library).
16.
LaRouche, J.
(1985) Strategies for Women at Work. London: Unwin.
17.
Leary, M.
(1985) `Men and Women—What are the Differences and Does it Matter?'MEAD16(2).
18.
Levinson, D.
(1984) The Seasons of a Man's Life. New York: Alfred Knopf.
19.
Margerison, C.
and Lewis, R. (1991) `Mapping Managerial Styles', International Journal of Manpower2(1).
20.
Marshall, J.
and McLean, A. (1987) Working with Cultures. Bath: Centre for the Study of Organisational Change & Development, University of Bath.
21.
Marshall, J.
(1994) in M. Tanton (ed.) Women in Management. London: Routledge.
22.
Maynard T.
, and Furlong, J. (1992) in D. McIntyre et al., Mentoring: Perspectives on School Based Teacher Education. London: Kogan Page.
23.
Moore, W.
(1962) The Conduct of the Corporation. New York: Random House.
Noe, R.
(1988) `Women and Mentoring: A Review and Research Agenda', Academy of Management Review13: 65-78.
26.
O'Leary, V.
and Johnson, J. (1991) `Steep Ladder, Lonely Climb', Women in Management6(5).
27.
O'Leary, V.
and Ryan, M. (1994) `Women Bosses: Counting the Changes or Changes that Count', in M. Tanton Women in Management. London: Routledge.
28.
Paul, N.
(1985) `Networking: Women's Key to Success', Women in Management Review (Autumn).
29.
Pedler, M.
(1983) Action Learning in Practice. Aldershot: Gower.
30.
Rosener, J.
(1990) `Ways Women Lead', HBR68: 119-125.
31.
Rothwell, S.
(1985) `Is Management a Masculine Role?'MEAD16(2).
32.
Schein, V.
(1973) `The Relationship between Sex Role Stereotypes and Requisite Management Characteristics', Journal of Applied Psychology57(2): 95-100.
33.
Schein, V.
(1975) `Relationships between Sex Role Stereotypes and Management Characteristics among Female Managers', Journal of Applied Psychology60(3): 340-344.
34.
Segerman-Peck, L.
(1991) Networking and Mentoring. London: Piatkus.
35.
Shea, G.
(1992) Mentoring: A Guide to Basics. London: Kogan Page.
36.
Sutton, S.
and Moore, K. (1985) `Probing Opinions: Executive Women—20 Years Later', HBR85(5): 42-66.
37.
Tanton, M.
(1994) Women in Management. London: Routledge.
38.
Van Velsor, E.
and Hughes, M. (1990) Gender Differences in the Development of Mangers. Greensboro, NC: Centre for Creative Leadership.
39.
Vinnicombe, S.
(1987) `What Exactly are the Differences in Male and Female Working Styles?'Women in Management Review3(1): 13-21.
40.
Woodd, M.
(1993) `Gender, Mentoring and Networking', in A. Nasta Change Through Networking in Vocational Education. London: Kogan Page.
41.
Woodd, M.
(1995) `The Use of Biography, Lifestory and Casestudy in Research to Enhance our Understanding of Mentoring', European Mentoring Centre Conference Paper.
42.
Zey, M.
(1984) The Mentor Connection. Homewood, IL: Dow Jones Irwin.
