Abstract
Mentoring is a process in which a more experienced and knowledgeable individual (the mentor) acts as a role model, provides support and guidance to a developing novice (the protégé), and assists in that person’s development (Weaver & Chelladurai, 1999). In organizational settings, research has shown that mentors support their protégés using two types of mentoring functions: vocational and psychosocial (Kram, 1980). Further, research has indicated that mentor transformational and transactional leadership behaviours positively influence protégé receipt of these two mentoring functions (Sosik & Godshalk, 2000). There are no known studies investigating the peer-to-peer mentoring that occurs between athletes in sport teams. Thus, the present study examined the relationship between peer athlete mentor leadership behaviours and protégé receipt of mentoring functions. Varsity athletes (N = 272) assessed their mentor’s use of transformational and transactional leadership behaviours, and mentoring functions. Using SEM, the results showed the leadership behaviours of inspirational motivation (β = .69, p < .001), democratic behaviour (β = .32, p < .001), social support (β = .29, p < .001), and positive feedback (β = .27, p < .001) were positively related to psychosocial mentoring. Furthermore, the leadership behaviours of intellectual stimulation (β = .51, p < .001), contingent reward (β = .22, p < .005), training and instruction (β = .64, p < .001), and social support (β = .18, p < .001) were positively associated to vocational mentoring. Practical implications of the results are discussed.
