Final answer:
Successful mentoring programs depend on the personal characteristics of the mentor and are positively associated with performance, career satisfaction, and advancement, particularly for women and underrepresented groups.
Step-by-step explanation:
Research that has evaluated formal mentoring programs has found that successful mentoring programs depend on the personal characteristics of the mentor. Studies such as Gentry, Weber, & Sadri (2008) and Allen, Lentz, & Day (2006) have revealed that mentoring is positively related to performance, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and career outcomes such as salary increases and promotions. Moreover, Eby, Durley, Evans, & Ragins (2006) found benefits not just for the mentees but also for the mentors, highlighting the mutual advantage of the mentoring relationship.
The effects of mentoring programs on career success can be especially significant for women, with mentoring helping to reduce feelings of isolation and to overcome discrimination in job promotions (McKeen & Bujaki, 2007). Research has also sought to understand the impacts of gender, race, and ethnicity on mentoring relationships, suggesting that while mentor-mentee pairings of the same gender or race/ethnicity may have better psychosocial outcomes, cross-gender and cross-racial/ethnic mentoring relationships can lead to great career advancement (Parks-Yancy, 2012).
Overall, the success of mentoring programs is nuanced and involves various factors, but significant evidence indicates that mentoring leads to tangible benefits in professional contexts.