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Unholy Alliances

Mentoring in Precarious Relationships

Humility leads to strength and not to weakness. It is the highest form of self-respect.

John McCloy

Mentoring is often about two relatively similar people—a wiser mentor and an eager-to-learn protégé—brought together for the facilitation of growth. However, that endeavor takes on a graver tone when the interpersonal relationship between mentor and protégé is dramatically outside the norm. Unholy alliances put a special pressure on the mentor. They likewise place unusual anxiety on the protégé.

The chances a protégé would be the offspring of a mentor in today’s world of enterprise is not that rare, especially in private companies. It is symbolic of the diversity found in today’s workplaces. It figuratively telegraphs the existence of many varieties of precarious relationships that can challenge the partnering aim of mentoring.