Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to investigate nontraditional mentoring relationships where the mentor was as least eight to fifteen years younger than the protégé in the professions of teaching, nursing, and business. Specifically this study considered the benefits, problems, human development stages, and career stages of both mentors and protégés and compared these elements to those of traditional mentoring relationships as identified and defined by the literature. Methodology. This study used a mixed-methods design. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative surveys were collected from twenty-four mentors and twenty-four protégé participants who were purposefully selected from the combined professions of teaching, nursing, and business. In addition, one mentor and one protégé from each of the professions were randomly selected and participated individually in a semistructured interview to provide additional data of a qualitative nature. Findings. Examination of quantitative and qualitative data resulted in the following findings. Both mentors and protégés in nontraditional relationships seem to experience the same benefits and problems as mentors and protégés in traditional relationships including some mention of additional issues in both areas. Also, mentors and protégés in nontraditional relationships appeared to identify with the same human developmental and career stages as did those in traditional relationships even though their ages were not necessarily consistent with their developmental stages or their career stages. Conclusions. The study data supported the conclusions that age is not a significant factor in determining the success of the mentor protégé relationship and that a successful relationship depends on the individuals themselves, their levels of job experience, and the quality of their association, not their ages. Recommendations. Further research in the area of nontraditional mentoring relationships is recommended in the following areas: study of mentors and protégés as pairs rather than as individuals; investigation of mentors and protégés with an age disparity greater than eight to fifteen years, and an in-depth comparison of mentors and protégés across various professions to determine elements that foster positive mentoring experiences.