Making meaning through mentoring: Mentors finding fulfilment at work through self-determination and self-reflection

Article

Kennett, Pam and Lomas, T. 2015. Making meaning through mentoring: Mentors finding fulfilment at work through self-determination and self-reflection. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring. 13 (2), pp. 29-44.
AuthorsKennett, Pam and Lomas, T.
Abstract

Organisations are increasingly concerned with promoting employee engagement. Research from
positive psychology suggests that one key driver of engagement is experiencing work as meaningful.
Organisations are therefore keen to understand how meaningful work is created. The present study
conjectured that becoming a mentor might be one effective way of experiencing meaning at work. Indepth
interviews were conducted with four experienced mentors, analysed using interpretative
phenomenological analysis, to understand the impact that mentoring has on mentors. It was found that
mentoring could indeed be a meaningful experience, enhancing work-related fulfilment. More
detailed analysis revealed that meaning was engendered through a potent combination of selfdetermination
(incorporating autonomy, relatedness and competence) and self-reflection, and a
theoretical model was devised to reflect these findings. The paper offers recommendations for
organisations, showing that mentoring relationships may not only benefit mentors (and mentees), but
also organisations themselves.

JournalInternational Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring
Journal citation13 (2), pp. 29-44
ISSN1741-8305
Year2015
PublisherInternational Centre for Coaching & Leadership Development, Oxford Brookes University
Accepted author manuscript
License
CC BY
Web address (URL)http://ijebcm.brookes.ac.uk/
Publication dates
Print01 Aug 2015
Publication process dates
Deposited11 May 2015
Accepted01 Jan 2015
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